Permethrin resistant head lice in Argentina are susceptible to spinosad

MOUGABURE CUETO G.A., ZERBA E.N. AND PICOLLO M.I.

JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY

Entomological Society of America

Lugar: Lanham. Maryland; Año: 2006 vol. 43 p. 634 - 635

0022-2585

Abstract. The insecticidal activity of spinosad was evaluated against susceptible and permethrin resistant human lice. In a permethrin- susceptible strain of body lice, P. humanus humanus L, the toxicity of spinosad was similar to that established for permethrin, LD50: 1.2 ng/i and 2.4 ng/i, respectively. Topical application of spinosad to populations of permethrin-resistant head lice, Pediculus humanus capitis De Geer, showed that susceptibility to spinosad was independent of resistance to permethrin. The effectiveness of spinosad against human lice and the low mammalian toxicity reported in the literature, suggest that spinosad could be useful for the management of permethrin-resistant human lice.  Key Words: Pediculus humanus, spinosad, permethrin resistance