Survival and reproduction of Onthophagus landolti (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) exposed to ivermectin residues in cattle dung.

Two bioassays were conducted in parallel to assess the effects of cattle treated with either 1% ivermectin (IVM) or 3.15% IVM (dosed at 0.2 and 0.63 mg kg-1, respectively) on reproduction and survival of Onthophagus landolti Harold. Adult beetles were exposed 10 days to faeces of treated cattle starting at: one day before treatment (controls), 3, 6, 14, 28 and 35 days post-treatment. Adult survival of O. landolti was not affected by either of the two treatments. Faecal residues of 1% IVM almost completely suppressed fecundity of beetles at 3, 6 and 14 days post-treatment (dPT), and reduced fecundity of O. landolti at 28 dPT ( 38.3%), relative to controls. Meanwhile, IVM residues after treatment with 3.15% IVM almost completely suppressed fecundity of beetles at 3, 6, 14 and 28 dPT, and reduced fecundity of O. landolti at 35 dPT (80.9%), relative to controls. Larval survival was significantly reduced only at 3 dPT with 1% IVM. Meanwhile, treatment with 3.15% IVM significantly reduced larval survival at 6, 14 and 28 dPT. Larval mortality was recorded only in L-I and L-II instars. Moreover, in both bioassays, most of the L-I and L-II specimens that survived showed signs of toxicity. In conclusion, residual IVM in cattle faeces after treatment with injectable IVM has a detrimental effect on the fecundity of adult O. landolti up to 4 weeks post-treatment and on the subsequent larval survival.

Lethal and Sublethal Effects of Ivermectin on Onthophagus landolti (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae).

Previous work has documented toxic effects of ivermectin (IVM) on dung beetles from the Old World, but very little is known about this drug's effect on Neotropical dung beetles. Accordingly, we conducted a bioassay with dung spiked with IVM to assess its lethal and sublethal effects on the Neotropical dung beetle Onthophagus landolti Harold. The experimental design consisted of five treated groups G1, G2, G3, G4, and G5 receiving 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1.0, and 10 mg IVM/kg dung fresh weight, respectively, and two control groups (solvent control [CGA] and untreated control [CGU]). Adult survival and fecundity were measured throughout a 10-d period, and subsequent egg development and survival were monitored. Adult survival was only affected for treatment groups G4 and G5 groups (70 and 30%, respectively); groups G1, G2, G3 and both controls exhibited 100% survival. Fecundity was completely suppressed under treatment groups G4 and G5. Group G3 only had 1.7 and 2.1% brood mass production relative to CGA and CGU, respectively. Additionally, for groups G1 and G2 the proportion of adults emerging from brood masses was lower relative to CGA. Furthermore, development time for the second generation in groups G1 and G2 was 12.5% slower relative to control groups. Finally, dung removal by beetles from groups G3, G4, and G5 was significantly lower relative to control groups. In conclusion, toxic effects of IVM on O. landolti are associated mainly with reduced fecundity and lower dung-removal by adult beetles as well as reduced survival and slower development of offspring.

Prevalence of cattle herds with ivermectin resistant nematodes in the hot sub-humid tropics of Mexico.

The objective was to determine the prevalence of semi-intensive Bos indicus and Bos indicus × Bos taurus cattle herds with ivermectin (IVM) resistant nematodes in a sub-humid tropical zone of Mexico using the faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT). Thirty-three herds (28 beef and 5 dual purpose herds) were monitored in a period of 6 months (September 2008 to February, 2009). Only 14 of the 33 herds were included in the trial. The other herds had not enough animals with sufficient nematode eggs per gram of faeces (EPG) to be included in a FECRT. Some farms were visited twice trying to find more animals with egg counts higher than 150 EPG. In the 14 surveyed herds the calves were randomly distributed into two groups: (a) treatment group received 0.2mg of IVM/kg BW sc on day 0, and (b) control group without treatment. Faecal samples were obtained from each animal on days 0 and 14 post-treatment. Reduction percentages (% R) and 95% CI were calculated. The prevalence of cattle herds with IVM resistant nematodes was 78.6%. Those suspected of IVM resistance were 21.4%. All surveyed herds used IVM from two to three times a year (mainly beginning and end of the wet season) during 1-11 consecutive years. The farm with stronger resistance used IVM for 11 consecutive years (% R=0%; 95% CI=0-47%). Genera of nematodes resistant to IVM were: Ostertagia, Haemonchus, Cooperia and Trichostrongylus. A considerable effort is needed to perform FECRT in cattle herds under hot sub-humid tropical conditions.

Survey of Rhipicephalus microplus resistance to ivermectin at cattle farms with history of macrocyclic lactones use in Yucatan, Mexico.

Engorged females of Rhipicephalus microplus were collected from 30 cattle farms in Yucatan, Mexico to evaluate ivermectin resistance. The larval progeny of each tick sample were produced in laboratory and evaluated using the larval immersion test to obtain the larval mortality. Concentration-mortality data were subjected to probit analysis to generate lethal concentrations (LC). Resistance ratio (RR) of each tick sample was calculated by dividing its LC with that of an ivermectin-susceptible strain (Deutch). Field populations of R. microplus demonstrated various levels of resistance to ivermectin. The top three resistant populations were CHPAT (RR(50)=10.23, RR(99)=179.6), SDGO (RR(50)=7.37, RR(99)=115.3) and FND (RR(50)=7.09, RR(99)=50.22). The level of ivermectin resistance in most tick samples from cattle farms in Yucatan, Mexico were relatively low. However, the intensive use of macrocyclic lactones to control both endo- and ectoparasites in the region will likely lead to a more serious resistance problem that may cause control failure in the future.

First report of the cattle tick Rhipicephalus microplus resistant to ivermectin in Mexico.

Three cattle farms with ticks, Rhipicephalus microplus, thought to be resistant to ivermectin in Yucatan, Mexico were studied (SFDO, SPN, LUADY). Each field-population was collected and tested twice several months apart. The larval immersion test was used on the progeny of collected adult females to test the susceptibility to ivermectin. Dose-mortality regressions, lethal concentrations (LC), their confidence intervals and slope were estimated by probit analysis. Resistance ratios (RR) were determined in the three investigated populations at the LC(50) and LC(99) estimates. The LUADY (RR(50): 2.04 and 2.29, RR(99): 2.67 and 3.55), SPN (RR(50): 3.55 and 3.68, RR(99): 8.19-11.06) and SFDO (RR(50): 6.84 and 8.59, RR(99): 54.17 and 87.86) ticks had significantly higher LC(50)/LC(99) than the reference susceptible Deutch strain, demonstrating resistance in the field-collected populations. Furthermore, there was significant difference between LC(50)/LC(99) of the SFDO, SPN and LUADY tick populations, which indicates not only the presence of resistant populations, but also different levels of resistance to ivermectin in the field populations studied. There was no difference observed at the LC(50) nor LC(99) estimates at two different times of collection from any of the three populations studied. In conclusion, we report for the first time field populations of R. microplus resistant to ivermectin in Mexico.