Ectoparasiticide

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An ectoparasiticide is an antiparasitic drug used in the treatment of ectoparasitic infestations. [1] These drugs are used to kill the parasites that live on the body surface. Permethrin, sulfur, lindane, dicophane, benzyl benzoate, ivermectin and crotamiton are well known ectoparasiticides. [2]

Contents

Permethrin

Broad-spectrum and potent pyrethroid insecticide  and is most convenient for both scabies and lice. First choice drug. 100% cure rate. Causes neurological paralysis in insects probably by delaying depolarisation.[ citation needed ]

Crotamiton

Second choice drug. Effective scabicide, pediculocide and antipruritic. Cure rate 60-88%.[ citation needed ]

Benzyl benzoate

2nd line drug for scabies and is seldom used for pediculosis. Cure rate 76-100%[ citation needed ]

Lindane

Effective in treating head lice (67-92%cure) and scabies (84-92% cure) with a single treatment. Penetrates through chitinous covers and affecting the nervous system.[ citation needed ]

Sulfur

Oldest scabicide and weak pediculocide, antiseptic, fungicide and keratolytic. Applied to skin, it is slowly reduced to H2S and oxidized to SO2 and pentathionic acid, which dissolve the cuticle of itch mites and kill it.[ citation needed ]

Ivermectin

Antihelminthic drug found highly effective in scabies and pediculosis. Acts through a glutamate-gated Cl ion channel found only in invertebrates.[ citation needed ]

Dicophan

Insecticide for mosquito, flies and other pests. Penetrates through the exoskeleton and acts as a neurotoxin.[ citation needed ]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scabies</span> Human disease

Scabies is a contagious skin infestation by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei. The most common symptoms are severe itchiness and a pimple-like rash. Occasionally, tiny burrows may appear on the skin. In a first-ever infection, the infected person usually develops symptoms within two to six weeks. During a second infection, symptoms may begin within 24 hours. These symptoms can be present across most of the body or just certain areas such as the wrists, between fingers, or along the waistline. The head may be affected, but this is typically only in young children. The itch is often worse at night. Scratching may cause skin breakdown and an additional bacterial infection in the skin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pediculosis</span> Medical condition

Pediculosis is an infestation of lice from the sub-order Anoplura, family Pediculidae. Accordingly, the infestation with head lice is named pediculosis capitis, while this with body lice, pediculosis corporis. Although pediculosis in humans may properly refer to lice infestation of any part of the body, the term is sometimes used loosely to refer to pediculosis capitis, the infestation of the human head with the specific head louse.

Antimalarial medications or simply antimalarials are a type of antiparasitic chemical agent, often naturally derived, that can be used to treat or to prevent malaria, in the latter case, most often aiming at two susceptible target groups, young children and pregnant women. As of 2018, modern treatments, including for severe malaria, continued to depend on therapies deriving historically from quinine and artesunate, both parenteral (injectable) drugs, expanding from there into the many classes of available modern drugs. Incidence and distribution of the disease is expected to remain high, globally, for many years to come; moreover, known antimalarial drugs have repeatedly been observed to elicit resistance in the malaria parasite—including for combination therapies featuring artemisinin, a drug of last resort, where resistance has now been observed in Southeast Asia. As such, the needs for new antimalarial agents and new strategies of treatment remain important priorities in tropical medicine. As well, despite very positive outcomes from many modern treatments, serious side effects can impact some individuals taking standard doses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lindane</span> Organochlorine chemical and an isomer of hexachlorocyclohexane

Lindane, also known as gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane (γ-HCH), gammaxene, Gammallin and benzene hexachloride (BHC), is an organochlorine chemical and an isomer of hexachlorocyclohexane that has been used both as an agricultural insecticide and as a pharmaceutical treatment for lice and scabies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Permethrin</span> Medication and insecticide

Permethrin is a medication and an insecticide. As a medication, it is used to treat scabies and lice. It is applied to the skin as a cream or lotion. As an insecticide, it can be sprayed onto outer clothing or mosquito nets to kill the insects that touch them.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malathion</span> Chemical compound

Malathion is an organophosphate insecticide which acts as an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor. In the USSR, it was known as carbophos, in New Zealand and Australia as maldison and in South Africa as mercaptothion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ivermectin</span> Medication for parasite infestations

Ivermectin is an antiparasitic drug. After its discovery in 1975, its first uses were in veterinary medicine to prevent and treat heartworm and acariasis. Approved for human use in 1987, today it is used to treat infestations including head lice, scabies, river blindness (onchocerciasis), strongyloidiasis, trichuriasis, ascariasis and lymphatic filariasis. It works through many mechanisms to kill the targeted parasites, and can be taken by mouth, or applied to the skin for external infestations. It belongs to the avermectin family of medications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ciclopirox</span> Antifungal medication

Ciclopirox is a synthetic antifungal agent for topical dermatologic treatment of superficial mycoses. It is most useful against tinea versicolor. It is sold under many brand names worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acaricide</span> Agent that kills members of the arachnid subclass Acari

Acaricides are pesticides that kill members of the arachnid subclass Acari, which includes ticks and mites. Acaricides are used both in medicine and agriculture, although the desired selective toxicity differs between the two fields.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Treatment of human lice</span>

The treatment of human lice is the removal of head lice parasites from human hair. It has been debated and studied for centuries. However, the number of cases of human louse infestations has increased worldwide since the mid-1960s, reaching hundreds of millions annually. There is no product or method that assures 100% destruction of the eggs and hatched lice after a single treatment. However, there are a number of treatment modalities that can be employed with varying degrees of success. These methods include chemical treatments, natural products, combs, shaving, hot air, and silicone-based lotions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Benzyl benzoate</span> Chemical compound

Benzyl benzoate is an organic compound which is used as a medication and insect repellent. As a medication it is used to treat scabies and lice. For scabies either permethrin or malathion is typically preferred. It is applied to the skin as a lotion. Typically two to three applications are needed. It is also present in Balsam of Peru, Tolu balsam, and in a number of flowers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spinosad</span> Medication

Spinosad is an insecticide based on chemical compounds found in the bacterial species Saccharopolyspora spinosa. The genus Saccharopolyspora was discovered in 1985 in isolates from crushed sugarcane. The bacteria produce yellowish-pink aerial hyphae, with bead-like chains of spores enclosed in a characteristic hairy sheath. This genus is defined as aerobic, Gram-positive, nonacid-fast actinomycetes with fragmenting substrate mycelium. S. spinosa was isolated from soil collected inside a nonoperational sugar mill rum still in the Virgin Islands. Spinosad is a mixture of chemical compounds in the spinosyn family that has a generalized structure consisting of a unique tetracyclic ring system attached to an amino sugar (D-forosamine) and a neutral sugar (tri-Ο-methyl-L-rhamnose). Spinosad is relatively nonpolar and not easily dissolved in water.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ancylostomiasis</span> Medical condition

Ancylostomiasis is a hookworm disease caused by infection with Ancylostoma hookworms. The name is derived from Greek ancylos αγκύλος "crooked, bent" and stoma στόμα "mouth".

Necatoriasis is the condition of infection by Necator hookworms, such as Necator americanus. This hookworm infection is a type of helminthiasis (infection) which is a type of neglected tropical disease.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Head lice infestation</span> Medical condition

Head lice infestation, also known as pediculosis capitis, is the infection of the head hair and scalp by the head louse. Itching from lice bites is common. During a person's first infection, the itch may not develop for up to six weeks. If a person is infected again, symptoms may begin much more quickly. The itch may cause problems with sleeping. Generally, however, it is not a serious condition. While head lice appear to spread some other diseases in Africa, they do not appear to do so in Europe or North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No nit policy</span> Public health policy

No nit policy is a public health policy implemented by some education authorities to prevent the transmission of head lice infestation. The "no nit" policy requires the sending home and barring of all children who have nits on their hair from controlled settings such as school, summer camp or day care facilities. The CDC, American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) advocate that "no-nit" policies should be discontinued, due in part because nits, the eggs or empty egg shells, are not transmissible and the burden of unnecessary absenteeism to the students, families and communities far outweighs the risks associated with head lice. Proponents of the no-nit policy counter that only a consistently nit-free child can be reliably shown to be infestation-free. That is, the presence of nits serves as a proxy for infestation status. Proponents argue that such a proxy is necessary because lice screening is prone to false negative conclusions.

An ectoparasitic infestation is a parasitic disease caused by organisms that live primarily on the surface of the host.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pediculosis corporis</span> Medical condition

Pediculosis corporis or Vagabond's disease is a cutaneous condition caused by body lice that lay their eggs in the seams of clothing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pediculosis pubis</span> Infestation by the pubic louse

Pediculosis pubis is an infestation by the pubic louse, Pthirus pubis, a wingless insect which feeds on blood and lays its eggs (nits) on mainly pubic hair. Less commonly, hair near the anus, armpit, beard, eyebrows, moustache, and eyelashes may be involved. It is usually acquired during sex, but can be spread via bedding, clothing and towels, and is more common in crowded conditions where there is close contact between people.

References

  1. Taylor MA (May 2001). "Recent developments in ectoparasiticides". Vet. J. 161 (3): 253–68. doi:10.1053/tvjl.2000.0549. PMID   11352483.
  2. Tripathi, J.D (2010). Textbook of Pharmacology. Jeypee Publications. pp. 862–863. ISBN   978-81-8448-085-6.