Efficacy of a slow-release imidacloprid (10%)/flumethrin (4.5%) collar for the prevention of canine leishmaniosis

Abstract

BackgroundThe efficacy of a slow-release insecticidal and repellent collar containing 10% imidacloprid and 4.5% flumethrin (Seresto, Bayer Animal Health) in preventing Leishmania infantum infection was evaluated in a large population of dogs living in a hyper-endemic area of Sicily (Italy).MethodsA total of 219 dogs, negative for L. infantum were enrolled in a multicentre, controlled study. Dogs were divided into two homogeneous groups, defined as G1 (n = 102) and G2 (n = 117). Before the start of the sand fly season, dogs in G1 were treated with the collar while animals in G2 were left untreated, serving as negative controls. Dogs were serially sampled on day D90, D180, D210 and D300 in order to assess Leishmania infection by IFAT, PCR on skin (D210-D300) and bone marrow (D300) and cytology on bone marrow aspirate (D300).ResultsThree dogs (2.9%) in G1 and 41 (40.2%) in G2 became positive for L. infantum in at least one of the diagnostic tests employed in the study. The number of seropositive dogs in G2 increased in the course of the study from 15 (D90) to 41 (D300), with some of them also positive in other diagnostic tests. Eight (19.6%) of the seropositive dogs in G2 showed an increase in antibody titers ranging from 1:160 to 1:1,280. At the last follow-up, some of dogs in G2 displayed overt clinical signs suggestive of leishmaniosis. The mean incidence density rate at the final follow-up was 4.0% for G1 and 60.7% for G2, leading to a mean efficacy of the collar in protecting dogs at both sites of 93.4%.ConclusionsThe slow-release collar tested in this study was shown to be safe and highly effective in preventing L. infantum infection in a large population of dogs. Protection conferred by a single collar (up to eight months) spanned an entire sand fly season in a hyper-endemic area of southern Italy. The regular use of collars, at least during the sand fly season, may represent a reliable and sustainable strategy for the prevention of leishmaniosis in dogs living in or travelling to an endemic area.

Comparative Efficacy of an Imidacloprid/Flumethrin Collar (Seresto®) and an Oral Afoxolaner Chewable (NexGard®) against Tick (Dermacentor variabilis and Amblyomma americanum) Infestations on Dogs: a Randomised Controlled Trial

“…Specifically, Seresto ® has been shown to Fourie et al 2013a;Reichard et al 2013;Stanneck et al 2012). Seresto ® also aided in the prevention of Bartonella helselae transmission by C. felis and Leishmania infantum transmission by sand flies (Brianti et al 2014;Lappin et al 2013;Otranto et al 2013). In this study, Seresto ® was highly efficacious (94 -100 %) at repelling and killing D. variabilis and A. americanum ticks as soon as 6 hours postinfestation starting 3 days after application.…”

Blocking Transmission of Vector‐borne Diseases

“…transfer. In this context, fast-acting ectoparasiticides could be effective at preventing disease transmission in ticks (Reichard et al, 2013;Fourie et al, 2013a;Brianti et al, 2014;Jongejan et al, 2015;Beugnet et al, 2014;Honsberger et al, 2016;Taenzler et al, 2016). In soft ticks (Argasidae), also referred to as softbacked ticks, pathogens face similar conditions as in hard ticks (i.e.…”

“…Trypanosoma cruzi (Krinsky, 2008), Rickettsia prowazekii (Houhamdi et al, 2002), or Bartonella quitana (Byam and Lloyd, 1920) are transmitted to their host via infected feces rubbed on wounded skin. Killing the vector before it gets time to produce infected feces could be possible using a drug with very fast onset of action.…”

“…Therefore, requirements for new ectoparasitic drugs should include not only the control of ectoparasites for a certain period of time, but also address their ability to block the transmission of the various vector-borne pathogens by a rapid onset of action. In this scope, "speed of kill" has become an important commercial differentiator for recent marketed products Wengenmayer et al, 2014;Beugnet et al, 2016;Blair et al, 2016; and many studies have been designed for testing the ability of those products to block transmission of some important pathogens of cats like Bartonella henselae (Bradbury and Lappin, 2010), and of dogs like Dipilidium caninum (Fourie et al, 2013a), Leishmania infantum (Brianti et al, 2014), Ehrlichia canis (Jongejan et al, 2015), Borrelia burgdorferi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum (Honsberger et al, 2016), and Babesia canis Taenzler et al, 2016). These studies all report a complete prevention of pathogen transmission by fast elimination of the vector.…”

Chemical Compatibility and Safety of Imidacloprid/Flumethrin Collar (Seresto®) Concomitantly Used with Imidacloprid/Moxidectin (Advocate®, Advantage® Multi) and Emodepside/Praziquantel (Profender®) Spot-on Formulations

“…The collar is licensed for the treatment and prevention of flea infestations (Ctenocephalides felis), treatment of tick infestations (Ixodes ricinus and Rhipicephalus turanicus in cats, Ixodes ricinus, Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Dermacentor reticulatus in dogs) and infestations with chewing lice (Trichodectes canis) Stanneck et al 2012b;Stanneck et al 2012c). The collar also exhibits repellent (anti feeding) efficacy and has the potential to prevent infections with flea and tick transmitted agents Fourie et al 2013a;Fourie et al 2013b;Lappin et al 2013;Otranto et al 2013, Reichard et al 2013Brianti et al 2014). The collar contains two actives, the insecticide imidacloprid active against fleas and lice, and the acaricide flumethrin active against ticks and mites (Stanneck et al 2012b;Stanneck et al 2012c;Brianti et al 2013;Smith et al 2013).…”