In vitro control of Phthirus pubis with four pediculocides: Eurax, Elimite, Licid and Benzanil.

Phthirus pubis, Linnaeus 1758 that causes phthiriasis is a common infestation disease. However, it is commonly be acquired in jails, brothels, and other similar places. The efficacy of four insecticides commercially known as Eurax, Elimite, Licid, and Benzanil was evaluated for controlling pubic lice in vitro. The four test insecticides proved to be very effective. However, they differed in time needed for causing 100 percent mortality and they could be arranged descendingly as follows: Licid, Eurax, Elimite, and Benzanil.

Mites (acari) infesting commensal rats in Suez Canal zone, Egypt.

Mites are arthropods distinguished from ticks by usually being microscopical in size and have a hypostome unarmed with tooth-like anchoring processes. They are group in a number of suborders, each with super-families and families including many genera of medical and economic importance. In this paper, commensal rodents (Rattus norvegicus, R. r. alexandrinus and R. r. frugivorous) were surveyed in the Suez Canal Zone for their acari ectoparasites. Four species of mites were recovered. In a descending order of mite indices, they were Eulaelaps stabularis (4.83 on 6 rats), Laelaps nuttalli (3.11 on 27 rats), Ornithonyssus bacoti (1.66 on 9 rats) and Dermanyssus gallinae (0.66 on 24 rats). The overall mite indices in the three governorates were 3.66 in Suez, 2.82 in Ismailia and zero in Port Said. The medical and economic importance of the mites were discussed.

Four species of house dust mites recovered from houses of patients with allergic respiratory diseases.

Arthropods and their products are wide spread and considered one of the common allergens affecting man. Allergy to arthropod antigens is the major cause of respiratory allergy as rhinitis and bronchial asthma. The range of reaction depends on several factors which include the type and source of the material, the rate of intensity, the duration of exposure, the human immune response and history of prior exposure. Successful management of allergic disease depends on proper identification of the causative allergen and reduce exposure to this allergen. Generally speaking, the house dust is not a simple substance but an accumulation of living and non living parts as mites, pollens, molds, dander and decaying insects. In the present study, four species of mites were isolated from the dust collected from the houses of patients with allergic respiratory diseases. The species were Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, D. farinae, Ornithonyssus bacoti and Haemogamassus pontiger. The two species of Dermatophagoides. were the predominant mites which are known to produce the most potent allergies. Studying the serum immunoglobulins level showed that the IgE had a highly significant concentration among respiratory allergic patients (28) with (5) or without (23) atopic dermatitis. It was concluded that house dust mites, that cause inhalant allergens, are one of the main aetiological factors of allergic respiratory diseases, with or without atopic dermatitis.

Natural Leishmania infections in two stray dogs and two Gerbillus pyramidum in Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt.

In Egypt, zoonotic cutaneaus leishmaniasis (ZCL) and infantile visceral leishmaniasis (I.VL.) have been documented. Recently, in Dakahlia Governorate, three cases of indigenously acquired leishmaniasis (two VL. and one ZCL) have been reported. This paper aimed to search for the animal reservoir (s) of these two types of zoonotic leishmaniasis. Commensal and wild rodents as well as stray dogs were collected from concerned areas. Their role as animal reservoirs were investigated parasitologically (dogs and rodents) and serologically (rodents). Seropositivities as measured by the indirect haemagglutination tests were detected in six Rattus norvegicus (up to 1/256), two Acomys c. cahirinus (up to 1/128) and four Gerbillus pyramidum (up to 1/1024). However, Leishmania parasites were demonstrated as amastigotes (smear) and promastigotes (culture) in only two G. pyramidum. On the other hand, amastigotes of Leishmania parasites were demonstrated in splenic smears of two stray dogs, one from Bilkas Center and one from Dikarnis Center. Cultures of the splenic materials of dogs were not successful. The results indicated high probability for the presence of at least one focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis and one focus of visceral leishmaniasis. It is concluded that visceral leishmaniasis must be in mind when dealing with fever of obscure origin with hypersplenism or other suggestive manifestations.

The helminthic parasites of rodents in Dakahlia Governorate, with reference to their Egyptian helminth fauna.

No doubt, rodents are among the most important reservoirs of zoonotic diseases. This paper aimed to survey the helminth fauna of the different species of rodents in Dakahlia Governorate. Eight species of rodents were encountered in the different centers examined. A total of fifteen species of helminthic parasites were found. They belong to four classes: Trematoda five species: H. heterophyes, H. pumilio, H. yokogawai, S. tridactyla and E. callawayensis, Cestoidea three species: H diminuta, H. nana and T. taeniaeformis, Nematoda six species: A. cantonensis, T. muris, C. hepatica, S. obvelata, S. muris, S. ratti, and Archiacanthocephala one species: M. moniliformis. The medical and/or veterinary importance of these parasites were discussed. It was concluded that rodents are the most serious source of zoonotic parasites.

Residual effect of four insecticides applied for indoor control of Phlebotomus papatasi (Scopoli).

The residual effect of four known insecticides prepared in olive oil and sprayed on cement plastered walls was estimated against the Egyptian strain of Phlebotomus papatasi (Scopoli). The results showed that propoxur reduced the number of the tested sandflies to 16.5%, 24.1%, 46.4%, 53.4% and 76.7%, 75 days post treatment after an exposure time for 5, 10, 15, 20 and 30 minutes. Permethrin caused zero, 17.5%, 25.0%, 41.4% and 51.9%; malathion caused 4.3%, 10%, 26.7%, 35.9% and 49.1% and B H C caused zero, 10%, 30%, 36.3% and 48.1% for the same exposure time respectively. This indicated that propoxur had the highest residual effect and B H C had the lowest one. The results were discussed in relation to leishmaniasis control.

The susceptibility of the Egyptian Phlebotomus papatasi to five insecticides.

Phlebotomus papatasi is the main vector of zoonotic cutaneous Leishmaniasis caused by L. major in nearly all the East Mediterranean Region. Generally speaking, control of any arthropod-borne disease should be directed against both the parasite and the vector. The present study was undertaken to establish a base line susceptibility levels of the Egyptian P. papatasi to five insecticides. These insecticides were: B H C and D D T (chlorinated hydrocarbon), permethrin (synthetic pyrethroides), malathion (Organophosphorus) and propoxur (carbamate). The results obtained revealed that the laboratory bred P. papatasi were more susceptible to the five insecticides than the wild caught ones. The insecticidal efficiency of the five insecticides based on LC50 was in the following descending order: propoxur, permethrin, BHC, DDT and malathion for laboratory bred flies and propoxur, permethrin, BHC, malathion then DDT for wild caught flies. The least LC50 was when using propoxur for both the wild caught flies (0.0014%) and laboratory bred ones (0.00043%). The least LT50 was when using propoxur for both the wild caught flies (4.8 seconds) and the laboratory bred flies (2.2 seconds).