Ellse L, Sands B, Burden F A, Wall R
Veterinary Parasitology and Ecology Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, UK.
The Donkey Sanctuary, Sidmouth, Devon, UK.
Equine Vet J. 2016 May;48(3):285-9. doi: 10.1111/evj.12431. Epub 2015 May 4.
Chewing lice are widespread and clinically compromising parasites of livestock and equids. Their management is complicated by growing levels of resistance to commonly applied insecticides. Hence, the development of novel approaches to their control is of major clinical interest.
To assess the effects of incorporating the essential oils of tea tree and lavender into a grooming programme for populations of donkeys with natural infestations of Bovicola ocellatus in the UK and Ireland when louse populations were at their winter seasonal peak.
In vivo field trial.
Suspensions of 5% (v/v) tea tree or lavender oil or an excipient only control were groomed into the coats of winter-housed donkeys (n = 198) on 2 occasions, 2 weeks apart. Louse counts were conducted before each application and 2 weeks later.
After 2 applications, the groups groomed with lavender or tea tree oil suspensions had a significant reduction in louse intensity, with a mean decline in louse abundance of 78% (95% confidence interval 76-80%). Louse numbers in the groups groomed with excipient only either did not change or increased significantly. Donkey hair length had no effect on the decline in louse numbers.
These results demonstrate that the inclusion of essential oil suspensions during grooming can be used to manage louse populations successfully.
嚼虱是家畜和马科动物中广泛存在且会对临床造成影响的寄生虫。对常用杀虫剂的耐药性不断增强，使得它们的防治变得复杂。因此，开发新的防治方法具有重大临床意义。
在英国和爱尔兰，当虱虫数量处于冬季季节性高峰时，评估将茶树精油和薰衣草精油纳入护理方案对自然感染眼状牛虱的驴群的效果。
体内现场试验。
将5%（v/v）茶树油或薰衣草油的悬浮液或仅含赋形剂的对照物分两次涂抹到冬季圈养的驴（n = 198）的皮毛上，每次间隔2周。在每次涂抹前和2周后进行虱虫计数。
两次涂抹后，用薰衣草油或茶树油悬浮液护理的组虱虫密度显著降低，虱虫数量平均下降78%（95%置信区间76 - 80%）。仅用赋形剂护理的组虱虫数量要么没有变化，要么显著增加。驴毛的长度对虱虫数量的下降没有影响。
这些结果表明，在护理过程中加入精油悬浮液可成功控制虱虫数量。
