Identification and interaction of multiple genes resulting in DDT resistance in the 91-R strain of Drosophila melanogaster by RNAi approaches.

4,4'-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) has been re-recommended by the World Health Organization for malaria mosquito control. Previous DDT use has resulted in resistance, and with continued use resistance will likely increase in terms of level and extent. Drosophila melanogaster is a model dipteran with a well annotated genome allowing both forward and reverse genetic manipulation, numerous studies done on insecticide resistance mechanisms, and is related to malaria mosquitoes allowing for extrapolation. The 91-R strain of D. melanogaster is highly resistant to DDT (>1500-fold) and recently, reduced penetration, increased detoxification, and direct excretion have been identified as resistance mechanisms. Their interactions, however, remain unclear. Use of Gal4/UAS-RNAi transgenic lines of D. melanogaster allowed for the targeted knockdown of genes putatively involved in DDT resistance and has identified the role of several cuticular proteins (Cyp4g1 and Lcp1), cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (Cyp6g1 and Cyp12d1), and ATP binding cassette transporters (Mdr50, Mdr65, and Mrp1) involved in decreased sensitivity to DDT. These above findings have been further validated in 91-R flies using a nanoparticle-enhanced RNAi strategy, directly implication these genes in DDT resistance in 91-R flies.

4,4'-Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and 4,4'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) inhibit myogenesis in C2C12 myoblasts.

BACKGROUND: Most countries have banned the use of 4,4'-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT). However, owing to its extremely high lipophilic characteristics, DDT and its metabolite 4,4'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) are ubiquitous in the environment and in many types of food. The positive correlation between exposure to insecticides, including DDT and DDE, and weight gain, resulting in impaired energy metabolism in offspring following perinatal DDT and DDE exposure, was previously reported. Therefore the influence of DDT and DDE on myogenesis using C2C12 myoblasts was investigated in this study. RESULTS: DDT and DDE decreased myotube formation dose- and time-dependently. Among myogenic regulatory factors, DDT and DDE mainly decreased MyoD1 and Myf5 expression. DDT and DDE treatment also altered Myostatin expression, phosphorylation of protein kinase B, p70 ribosomal protein S6 kinase, forkhead box O protein 3 and mammalian target of rapamycin, resulting in attenuation of myotube formation. CONCLUSION: These results may have significant implications for understanding the effects of developmental exposure of DDT and DDE on myogenesis and development of obesity and type 2 diabetes later in life. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Management of Head Louse Infestations in the United States-A Literature Review.

UNLABELLED: Head lice are a source of scalp irritation, social disruption, and loss of school time. Health care providers need authoritative information to help avoid the costs and risks of ineffective treatment. A review was completed to provide relevant information on infestation treatments available in the United States. Three major biomedical databases were searched from 1985, when current products were first available, to 2014, focusing on U.S. REPORTS: A total of 579 references remained after duplicates were removed. A search of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration website and labels of approved products were reviewed. A marked decline in the effectiveness of permethrin and synergized pyrethrins was found, probably because of resistance arising from widespread and indiscriminate use, and the emergence of knockdown resistance mutations. The potential toxicity of lindane in the setting of readily available, safer, and more effective alternatives, should limit its use. Prescription products shown to be safe and effective with a single application, without nit combing, are topical ivermectin, malathion, and spinosad, whereas benzyl alcohol requires two applications. Home remedies such as mayonnaise, and essential oils, have not been demonstrated to be safe or effective, and may carry potential for severe adverse events. The high risk of failure of over-the-counter treatments in eliminating head louse infestations drives a need for health care provider recognition of the limitations of current treatments and for judicious use of treatments that remain effective.

4,4'-Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and 4,4'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) promote adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 adipocyte cell culture.

4,4'-Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), a chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticide, was extensively used in the 1940s and 1950s. DDT is mainly metabolically converted into 4,4'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE). Even though most countries banned DDT in the 1970s, due to the highly lipophilic nature and very stable characteristics, DDT and its metabolites are present ubiquitously in the environment, including food. Recently, there are publications on relationships between exposure to insecticides, including DDT and DDE, and weight gain and altered glucose homeostasis. However, there are limited reports regarding DDT or DDE and adipogenesis, thus we investigated effects of DDT and DDE on adipogenesis using 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Treatment of DDT or DDE resulted in increased lipid accumulation accompanied by increased expression of CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein α (C/EBPα), peroxisome-proliferator activated receptor-γ (PPARγ), fatty acid synthase (FAS), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), adipose triglyceride lipase, and leptin. Moreover, treatment of DDT or DDE increased protein levels of C/EBPα, PPARγ, AMP-activated protein kinase-α (AMPKα), and ACC, while significant decrease of phosphorylated forms of AMPKα and ACC were observed. These finding suggest that increased lipid accumulation caused by DDT and DDE may mediate AMPKα pathway in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

Quantitative Sequencing for the Determination of Kdr-type Resistance Allele (V419L, L925I, I936F) Frequencies in Common Bed Bug (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) Populations Collected from Israel.

Human bed bug infestations have dramatically increased worldwide since the mid-1990s. A similar phenomenon was also observed in Israel since 2005, when infestations were reported from all over the country. Two single nucleotide polymorphisms (V419L and L925I) in the bed bug voltage-sensitive sodium channel confer kdr-type resistance to pyrethroids. Using quantitative sequencing (QS), the resistance allele frequencies of Israeli bed bug populations from across the country were determined. Genomic DNA was extracted from samples of 12 populations of bed bugs collected from Israel and DNA fragments containing the V419L or L925I and I936F mutations sites were PCR amplified. The PCR products were analyzed by QS and the nucleotide signal ratios calculated and used to predict the resistance allele frequencies of the unknown populations. Results of the genetic analysis show that resistant nucleotide signals are highly correlated to resistance allele frequencies for both mutations. Ten of the 12 tested populations had 100% of the L925I mutation and 0% of the V419L mutation. One population was heterogeneous for the L925I mutation and had 0% of the V419L mutation and another population was heterogeneous for the V419L mutation and had 100% of the L925I mutation. I936F occurred only at low levels. These results indicate that bed bugs in Israel are genetically resistant to pyrethroids. Thus, pyrethroids should only be used for bed bug management with caution using effective application and careful monitoring procedures. Additionally, new and novel-acting insecticides and nonchemical means of controlling bed bugs should be explored.

In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation of Infestation Deterrents Against Lice.

The human head louse is a cosmopolitan ectoparasite and frequently infests many people, particularly school-age children. Due to widespread pyrethroid resistance and the lack of efficient resistance management, there has been a considerable interest in the protection of uninfested people and prevention of reinfestation by disrupting lice transfer. In this study, two nonclinical model systems (in vitro and in vivo) were used to determine the efficacy of the infestation deterrents, Elimax lotion and Elimax shampoo, against human head lice or poultry chewing lice, respectively. With in vitro assessments, female head lice exhibited significantly higher avoidance responses to hair tufts treated with either of the test formulations, which led to significantly higher ovipositional avoidance when compared with female lice on control hair tufts. Additionally, both formulations were determined to be competent infestation deterrents in a competitive avoidance test in the presence of a known attractant (head louse feces extract). In in vivo assessments using a previously validated poultry model, Elimax shampoo was determined to be an efficacious deterrent against poultry chewing lice within Menopon spp. and Menacanthus spp.

RNAi validation of resistance genes and their interactions in the highly DDT-resistant 91-R strain of Drosophila melanogaster.

4,4'-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) has been re-recommended by the World Health Organization for malaria mosquito control. Previous DDT use has resulted in resistance, and with continued use resistance will increase in terms of level and extent. Drosophila melanogaster is a model dipteran that has many available genetic tools, numerous studies done on insecticide resistance mechanisms, and is related to malaria mosquitoes allowing for extrapolation. The 91-R strain of D. melanogaster is highly resistant to DDT (>1500-fold), however, there is no mechanistic scheme that accounts for this level of resistance. Recently, reduced penetration, increased detoxification, and direct excretion have been identified as resistance mechanisms in the 91-R strain. Their interactions, however, remain unclear. Use of UAS-RNAi transgenic lines of D. melanogaster allowed for the targeted knockdown of genes putatively involved in DDT resistance and has validated the role of several cuticular proteins (Cyp4g1 and Lcp1), cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (Cyp6g1 and Cyp12d1), and ATP binding cassette transporters (Mdr50, Mdr65, and Mrp1) involved in DDT resistance. Further, increased sensitivity to DDT in the 91-R strain after intra-abdominal dsRNA injection for Mdr50, Mdr65, and Mrp1 was determined by a DDT contact bioassay, directly implicating these genes in DDT efflux and resistance.

Utilization of the human louse genome to study insecticide resistance and innate immune response.

Since sequencing the human body louse genome, substantial advances have occurred in the utilization of the information gathered from louse genomes and transcriptomes. Comparatively, the body louse genome contains far fewer genes involved in environmental response, such as xenobiotic detoxification and innate immune response. Additionally, the body louse maintains a primary bacterial endosymbiont, Candidatus Riesia pediculicola, and a number of bacterial pathogens that it vectors, which have genomes that are also reduced in size. Thus, human louse genomes offer unique information and tools for use in advancing our understanding of coevolution among vectors, endosymbionts and pathogens. In this review, we summarize the current literature on the extent of pediculicide resistance, the availability of new pediculicides and information establishing this organism as an efficient model to study how xenobiotic metabolism, which is involved in insecticide resistance, is induced and how insects modify their innate immune response upon bacterial challenge resulting in enhanced vector competence.

Permethrin alters adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and causes insulin resistance in C2C12 myotubes.

Pyrethroids are a class of insecticides structurally derived from the naturally occurring insecticides called pyrethrins. Along with emerging evidence that exposure to insecticides is linked to altered weight gain and glucose homeostasis, exposure to pyrethroids has been linked to altered blood glucose levels in humans. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine the role of permethrin on lipid and glucose metabolisms. Permethrin was treated to 3T3-L1 adipocytes and C2C12 myoblasts to determine its role in lipid and glucose metabolisms, respectively. Permethrin treatment resulted in increased expression of key markers of adipogenesis and lipogenesis in adipocytes. Permethrin significantly reduced insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in myotubes. This is the first report on the role of permethrin in altered lipid metabolism in adipocytes and impaired glucose homeostasis in myotubes. These results may help elucidate fundamental underlying mechanisms between insecticide exposure, particularly permethrin, and potential risk of developing obesity and its comorbidities.

Knockdown resistance allele frequencies in North American head louse (Anoplura: Pediculidae) populations.

The study examines the extent and frequency of a knockdown-type resistance allele (kdr type) in North American populations of human head lice. Lice were collected from 32 locations in Canada and the United States. DNA was extracted from individual lice and used to determine their zygosity using the serial invasive signal amplification technique to detect the kdr-type T917I (TI) mutation, which is most responsible for nerve insensitivity that results in the kdr phenotype and permethrin resistance. Previously sampled sites were resampled to determine if the frequency of the TI mutation was changing. The TI frequency was also reevaluated using a quantitative sequencing method on pooled DNA samples from selected sites to validate this population genotyping method. Genotyping substantiated that TI occurs at high levels in North American lice (88.4%). Overall, the TI frequency in U.S. lice was 84.4% from 1999 to 2009, increased to 99.6% from 2007 to 2009, and was 97.1% in Canadian lice in 2008. Genotyping results using the serial invasive signal amplification reaction (99.54%) and quantitative sequencing (99.45%) techniques were highly correlated. Thus, the frequencies of TI in North American head louse populations were found to be uniformly high, which may be due to the high selection pressure from the intensive and widespread use of the pyrethrins- or pyrethroid-based pediculicides over many years, and is likely a main cause of increased pediculosis and failure of pyrethrins- or permethrin-based products in Canada and the United States. Alternative approaches to treatment of head lice infestations are critically needed.

Identification and characterization of an esterase involved in malathion resistance in the head louse Pediculus humanus capitis.

Enhanced malathion carboxylesterase (MCE) activity was previously reported to be involved in malathion resistance in the head louse Pediculus humanus capitis (Gao et al., 2006 [8]). To identify MCE, the transcriptional profiles of all five esterases that had been annotated to be catalytically active were determined and compared between the malathion-resistant (BR-HL) and malathion-susceptible (KR-HL) strains of head lice. An esterase gene, designated HLCbE3, exhibited approximately 5.4-fold higher transcription levels, whereas remaining four esterases did not exhibit a significant increase in their transcription in BR-HL, indicating that HLCbE3 may be the putative MCE. Comparison of the entire cDNA sequences of HLCbE3 revealed no sequence differences between the BR-HL and KR-HL strains and suggested that no single nucleotide polymorphism is associated with enhanced MCE activity. Two copies of the HLCbE3 gene were observed in BR-HL, implying that the over-transcription of HLCbE3 is due to the combination of a gene duplication and up-regulated transcription. Knockdown of HLCbE3 expression by RNA interference in the BR-HL strain led to increases in malathion susceptibility, confirming the identity of HLCbE3 as a MCE responsible for malathion resistance in the head louse. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that HLCbE3 is a typical dietary esterase and belongs to a clade containing various MCEs involved in malathion resistance.

An In vitro dimerization assay for the adverse outcome pathway approach in risk assessment of human estrogen receptor α-mediated endocrine-disrupting chemicals.

The adverse outcome pathway (AOP) has been recently proposed as an effective framework for chemical risk assessment. The AOP framework offers the advantage of effectively integrating individual in vitro studies and in silico prediction models. Thus, the development of an effective testing method to measure key events caused by chemicals is essential for chemical risk assessment through a fully developed AOP framework. We developed a human cell-based estrogen receptor α (ERα) dimerization assay using the bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) technique and evaluated the ERα dimerization activities of 72 chemicals. Fifty-one chemicals were identified to mediate dimerization of ERα, and the BRET-based ERα dimerization assay could effectively measure the events that mediated dimerization of ERα by the estrogenic chemicals. These results were compared with the results of pre-existing assay to determine whether the BRET-based ERα dimerization assay could be employed as an in vitro test method to provide scientific information for explaining key events as a part of the AOP framework. Consequently, we propose that the BRET-based ERα dimerization assay is suitable for measuring the chemical-mediated dimerization of ERα, a key event in the AOP framework for cellular-level risk assessment of estrogenic chemicals.

Establishment of quantitative sequencing and filter contact vial bioassay for monitoring pyrethroid resistance in the common bed bug, Cimex lectularius.

Two point mutations (V419L and L925I) in the voltage-sensitive sodium channel alpha-subunit gene have been identified in deltamethrin-resistant bed bugs. A quantitative sequencing (QS) protocol was developed to establish a population-based genotyping method as a molecular resistance-monitoring tool based on the frequency of the two mutations. The nucleotide signal ratio at each mutation site was generated from sequencing chromatograms and plotted against the corresponding resistance allele frequency. Frequency prediction equations were generated from the plots by linear regression, and the signal ratios were shown to highly correlate with resistance allele frequencies (r2 > 0.9928). As determined by QS, neither mutation was found in a bed bug population collected in 1993. Populations collected in recent years (2007-2009), however, exhibited completely or nearly saturating L925I mutation frequencies and highly variable frequencies of the V419L mutation. In addition to QS, the filter contact vial bioassay (FCVB) method was established and used to determine the baseline susceptibility and resistance of bed bugs to deltamethrin and lambda-cyhalothrin. A pyrethroid-resistant strain showed >9,375- and 6,990-fold resistance to deltamethrin and lambda-cyhalothrin, respectively. Resistance allele frequencies in different bed bug populations predicted by QS correlated well with the FCVB results, confirming the roles of the two mutations in pyrethroid resistance. Taken together, employment of QS in conjunction with FCVB should greatly facilitate the detection and monitoring of pyrethroid-resistant bed bugs in the field. The advantages of FCVB as an on-site resistance-monitoring tool are discussed.

A new ivermectin formulation topically kills permethrin-resistant human head lice (Anoplura: Pediculidae).

This study examines the effectiveness of a new ivermectin formulation for the topical treatment of the human head louse, Pediculus humanus capitis De Geer (Anoplura: Pediculidae). Permethrin-resistant lice originally obtained from south Florida and maintained on an in vitro rearing system were 100% susceptible to ivermectin formulations by using a semiclinical hair tuft bioassay. The formulation was 100% effective at killing lice using 1, 0.5, and 0.25% ivermectin concentrations after 10-min exposures. As judged by the lethal time (LT)50 and LT95 values, 0.5% formulated ivermectin was 3.8 and 3.2 times faster at killing lice, respectively, than 0.5% nonformulated ivermectin, indicating that the formulation may facilitate the penetration of ivermectin into the louse. The hair tuft-based bioassay in conjunction with the in vitro rearing system provides a standardized method to assess the comparative efficacy of pediculicide formulations in a reproducible format that mimics the exposure scenario that occurs on the human scalp.

Biochemical and molecular analysis of deltamethrin resistance in the common bed bug (Hemiptera: Cimicidae).

This study establishes deltamethrin resistance in a common bed bug, Cimex lectularius L., population collected from New York City (NY-BB). The NY-BB population was 264-fold more resistant to 1% deltamethrin in contact bioassay compared with an insecticide-susceptible population collected in Florida (FL-BB). General esterase, glutathione S-transferase, and 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase activities of NY-BB were not statistically different from those of FL-BB. cDNA fragments that encoded the open reading frame of voltage-sensitive sodium channel alpha-subunit genes from the FL-BB and NY-BB populations, respectively, were obtained by homology probing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequenced. Sequence alignment of the internal and 5' and 3' rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) fragments generated a 6500-bp cDNA sequence contig, which was composed of a 6084-bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding 2027 amino acid residues and 186-bp 5' and 230-bp 3' untranslated regions (5' and 3' UTRs, respectively). Sequence comparisons of the open reading frames of the alpha-subunit genes identified two point mutations (V419L and L925I) that were presented only in the NY-BB population. L925I, located the intracellular loop between IIS4 and IIS5, has been previously found in a highly pyrethroid-resistant populations of whitefly (Bemisia tabaci). V419L, located in the IS6 transmembrane segment, is a novel mutation. A Val to Met mutation at the corresponding position of the bed bug V419, however, has been identified in the tobacco budworm as a kdr-type mutation. This evidence suggests that the two mutations are likely the major resistance-causing mutations in the deltamethrin-resistant NY-BB through a knockdown-type nerve insensitivity mechanism.

Determination of permethrin resistance allele frequency of human head louse populations by quantitative sequencing.

A quantitative sequencing (QS) protocol that detects the frequencies of sodium channel mutations (M815I, T917I, and L920F) responsible for knockdown resistance in permethrin-resistant head lice (Pediculus humanus capitis De Geer) was tested as a population genotyping method for use as a preliminary resistance monitoring tool. Genomic DNA fragments of the sodium channel a-subunit gene that encompass the three mutation sites were polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-1 amplified from individual head lice with either resistant or susceptible genotypes, and combined in various ratios to generate standard DNA template mixtures for QS. After sequencing, the signal ratios between resistant and susceptible nucleotides were calculated and plotted against the corresponding resistance allele frequencies. Quadratic regression coefficients of the plots were close to 1, demonstrating that the signal ratios are highly correlated with the resistance allele frequencies. Resistance allele frequencies predicted by QS, using either "pooled DNA" (DNA extracted from individual louse specimens and pooled) or "pooled specimen DNA" (DNA simultaneously extracted from multiple louse specimens), agreed well with those determined by individual sequencing, confirming the reliability and accuracy of QS as a population genotyping method and validating our approach of using the pooled specimen DNA as the DNA template for QS. Our protocol for QS was determined to be highly reliable for the prediction of resistance allele frequencies higher than approximately 7.4% at the 95% confidence level. According to the resistance allele frequencies determined by QS, pyrethroid resistance varies substantially among different geographical regions, emphasizing the importance of early resistance detection and proper management strategies.

Exposure to permethrin promotes high fat diet-induced weight gain and insulin resistance in male C57BL/6J mice.

Permethrin is a pyrethroid pesticide that was previously reported to promote fat accumulation and insulin resistance in vitro. A recent study in female mice also found that permethrin could promote high fat-induced insulin resistance. The effects of permethrin on glucose and lipid metabolisms in male mice, however, remain unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects and interactions of permethrin exposure (50, 500, and 5000 µg/kg body weight/day) and dietary fat (low fat, 4% w/w; high fat, 20% w/w) on development of obesity and insulin resistance in male C57BL/6J mice. Our results showed that permethrin treatment significantly increased body weight, fat mass, and insulin resistance with high fat diet, but not with low fat diet, without influencing energy intake. Permethrin treatment also significantly increased serum levels of insulin, glucose, leptin, triglycerides and cholesterol. Further results showed that permethrin inhibited AMP-activated protein kinase in white adipose tissue. These results suggest that permethrin interacts with dietary fat to alter lipid and glucose metabolisms in male C57BL/6J mice.

Body lice and head lice (Anoplura: Pediculidae) have the smallest genomes of any hemimetabolous insect reported to date.

The human body louse, Pediculus humanus humanus L. (Anoplura: Pediculidae), is a vector of several diseases, including louse-borne epidemic typhus, relapsing fever, and trench fever, whereas the head louse, Pediculus humanus capitis De Geer (Anoplura: Pediculidae), is more a pest of social concern. Sequencing of the body louse genome has recently been proposed and undertaken by National Human Genome Research Institute. One of the first steps in understanding an organism's genome is to determine its genome size. Here, using flow cytometry determinations, we present evidence that body louse genome size is 104.7 +/- 1.4 Mb for females and 108.3 +/- 1.1 Mb for males. Our results suggest that head lice also have a small genome size, of similar size to the body louse. Thus, Pediculus lice have one of the smallest genome sizes known in insects, suggesting it may be a suitable choice as a minimal hemimetabolous genome.

Permethrin alters glucose metabolism in conjunction with high fat diet by potentiating insulin resistance and decreases voluntary activities in female C57BL/6J mice.

Permethrin, a type 1 pyrethroid insecticide, was previously reported to promote adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and insulin resistance in C2C12 muscle cells; however, the effects of permethrin exposure on glucose and lipid metabolisms in vivo remain unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of permethrin exposure on glucose and lipid homeostasis as well as voluntary movement in female mice in response to dietary fat. We tested three doses of permethrin (50, 500, & 5000 µg/kg body weight/day) in low fat diet-fed (4% w/w of diet) and high fat diet-fed (20% w/w of diet) female C57BL/6 J mice for twelve weeks. Our results demonstrated that permethrin treatment potentiated high fat diet-induced insulin resistance as indicated by insulin tolerance tests, glucose tolerance tests, and homeostasis model assessment - insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) without altering weight or fat mass. Permethrin treatment significantly decreased voluntary movement and elevated blood glucose and insulin levels. Western blot results further showed that permethrin impaired insulin signaling via the Akt signaling pathway in the gastrocnemius muscle. Taken together, these results suggest that oral administration of permethrin potentiated high fat diet-induced insulin resistance, possibly increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes without altering weight gain in female C57BL/6 J mice.

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

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.