1. Academic Validation
  2. Ovicidal Efficacy of Abametapir Against Eggs of Human Head and Body Lice (Anoplura: Pediculidae)

Ovicidal Efficacy of Abametapir Against Eggs of Human Head and Body Lice (Anoplura: Pediculidae)

  • J Med Entomol. 2017 Jan;54(1):167-172. doi: 10.1093/jme/tjw132.
Vernon M Bowles 1 2 Kyong Sup Yoon 3 Stephen C Barker 4 Christopher Tran 5 Christopher Rhodes 5 Marshall J Clark 6
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Hatchtech Pty Ltd Suite 201, 697 Burke Rd., Camberwell, Australia 3124 (vbowles@hatchtech.com.au).
  • 2 Centre for Animal Biotechnology, School of Veterinary Science, the University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia 3010.
  • 3 Department of Biological Sciences and Environmental Sciences Program, Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, IL 62026 (vsschl@gmail.com).
  • 4 Parasitology Section, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, the University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia (s.barker@uq.edu.au).
  • 5 Department of Veterinary and Animal Science, Morrill 1, N311B, University of Massachusetts, 639 N. Pleasant St., Amherst, MA 01003 (ctran0@umass.edu; christopher.rhodes710@gmail.com; jclark@vasci.umass.edu).
  • 6 Department of Veterinary and Animal Science, Morrill 1, N311B, University of Massachusetts, 639 N. Pleasant St., Amherst, MA 01003 (ctran0@umass.edu; christopher.rhodes710@gmail.com; jclark@vasci.umass.edu) jclark@vasci.umass.edu.
Abstract

Studies were undertaken to determine the ovicidal efficacy of 5,5'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridyl (abametapir) against eggs of both human head and body lice. Head lice eggs of different ages (0-2, 3-5, and 6-8-d-old eggs) were exposed to varying concentrations of abametapir in isopropanol and concentration-dependent response relationships established based on egg hatch. One hundred percent of all abametapir-treated eggs failed to hatch at the 0.74 and 0.55% concentrations, whereas 100% of 6-8-d-old head louse eggs failed to hatch only at the 0.74% concentration. The LC50 value for abametapir varied, depending on the age of the head lice eggs, from ∼0.10% recorded for 0-2-d-old eggs and increasing to ∼0.15% for 6-8-d-old eggs. Abametapir was also evaluated once formulated into a lotion referred to as Xeglyze (0.74% abametapir) and serial dilutions made. Ovicidal efficacies were determined against head lice eggs 0-8-d-old. Results indicated 100% ovicidal activity at the 0.74, 0.55, 0.37, and 0.18% concentrations. Additional studies undertaken using body lice eggs also demonstrated that abametapir was 100% ovicidal against eggs of all ages when evaluated at a concentration of 0.37 and 0.55%. Given that ovicidal activity is a critical component of any effective treatment regime for louse control, the data presented in this study clearly demonstrate the ability of abametapir to inhibit hatching of both head and body louse eggs as assessed in vitro.

Keywords

Body louse (Pediculus humanus); Head louse (Pediculus capitis); abametapir; ovicide.

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