School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, U.K.
Department of Infection and Microbiome, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, U.K.
Med Vet Entomol. 2020 Dec;34(4):452-458. doi: 10.1111/mve.12462. Epub 2020 Jul 22.
The spatial pattern of flea (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) infestation risk in cats and dogs across Great Britain is quantified, using data collected from a national survey undertaken in 2018, with particular attention given to the association between insecticidal treatment and infestation risk. Flea infestation risk declined significantly from south to north. None of the factors: pet breed, sex, neutered status or whether the pet had been abroad, showed any relationship with the underlying geographic distribution, which is most likely to be associated with climatic factors. However, overall, only 23.6% of the cats and 35% of the dogs inspected had been treated with identifiable flea products that were still 'in date' at the point of inspection. The percentage of owners treating their pet broadly followed infestation risk. The insecticide fipronil is a common active in a wide range of flea treatments and was the most frequently applied insecticide class, particularly in cats. However, 62% of cats and 45% of dogs that had been treated with a fipronil-based product that was 'in date' at the point of inspection still had fleas. Persistent flea infestation is likely to be due to a range of factors, including compliance and application failure, but the data provide strong inferential evidence for a lack of efficacy of fipronil-based products. Given the ubiquity of flea infestation, this finding and the relatively low-level of treatment compliance, highlight a clear need for greater owner education about the importance of flea management and a better understanding of the efficacy of different products.
英国猫犬跳蚤感染风险的空间分布模式已被量化，该模式利用了 2018 年全国调查收集的数据，特别关注了杀虫处理与感染风险之间的关系。跳蚤感染风险从南向北显著下降。宠物品种、性别、绝育状态或是否出国等因素均与潜在的地理分布无关，这最有可能与气候因素有关。然而，总体而言，只有 23.6%的检查猫和 35%的检查犬使用了仍在“有效期”内的可识别跳蚤产品进行了处理。宠物主人的驱虫处理率与感染风险大致相符。杀虫剂氟虫腈是一种广泛应用于多种跳蚤处理产品中的常见活性成分，尤其在猫中使用更为普遍。然而，62%的使用了仍在“有效期”内的含氟虫腈产品进行了处理的猫和 45%的犬仍然有跳蚤。持续的跳蚤感染可能是由于多种因素造成的，包括合规性和应用失败等，但这些数据为氟虫腈产品缺乏疗效提供了强有力的推断证据。鉴于跳蚤感染的普遍性，这一发现以及相对较低的处理合规率，突显了对宠物主人进行有关跳蚤管理重要性的教育以及更好地了解不同产品疗效的明确需求。
