학술논문
Efficacy of an oral formulation of afoxolaner and milbemycin oxime against Tunga penetrans in naturally infected dogs
Document Type
Original Paper
Author
dos Santos, Katharine Costa; Tielemans, Eric; Cutolo, Andre Antonio; Guedes, Paula Elisa Brandão; Harvey, Tatiani Vitor; de Carvalho Teixeira, Jamille Bispo; Vitor, Rebeca Costa; da Paixão Sevá, Anaiá; de Melo Navarro, Adan William; Lima, Ana Carolina Ribeiro; Botteon, Karin Denise; Bittar, Thammy Vieira; Albuquerque, George Rêgo; de Almeida Borges, Fernando; Beugnet, Frederic; Carlos, Renata Santiago Alberto
Source
Parasites & Vectors. 16(1)
Subject
Language
English
ISSN
1756-3305
Abstract
Background: The sand flea Tunga penetrans is one of the agents of tungiasis, an important parasitic skin disease affecting humans and several mammalian species. Tungiasis is mainly observed in disadvantaged rural and peripheral urban communities in Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa. The dog is a major reservoir of Tunga fleas. Hematophagous adult female Tunga spp. embed and grow in their host’s epidermis and cause cutaneous inflammatory disorders. NexGard Spectra® is an orally administered endectocide for dogs, a co-formulation of the isoxazoline afoxolaner and the macrocyclic lactone milbemycin oxime. The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of this product against canine tungiasis.Methods: A blinded, negative-controlled field trial was conducted in a Brazilian community known to be highly endemic for tungiasis. Sixty-six dogs naturally infected with live T. penetrans were randomly allocated to a treated group (44 dogs) and an untreated control group (22 dogs). In a first phase, dogs from the treated group were treated on days 0, 30, and 60. Efficacy was evaluated on the basis of the macroscopic parasitic skin lesions (Fortaleza classification) on days 7, 14, 21, 30, 45, 60, 75, and 90. In a second phase, to evaluate natural reinfections, all dogs were treated on day 90 and evaluated every 2 weeks thereafter until at least 30% of dogs were infected with live sand fleas.Results: During the first phase, efficacy (reduction in live sand fleas) of 92.4% was demonstrated on day 7. From day 14 until day 90, the efficacy of NexGard Spectra® was 100%. In the second phase, all dogs were free of live T. penetrans from 15 until 45 days after the day 90 treatment; 60 days post-treatment, 11% of dogs were reinfected, and 75 days post-treatment, 40% of dogs were reinfected.Conclusions: NexGard Spectra® was demonstrated to be highly effective against canine tungiasis. In addition to an obvious beneficial effect on the health and welfare of the treated dog, the use of this product may have a one-health benefit on human cases by controlling the main reservoir of sand fleas.Graphical Abstract: