**7. Treatment**

our observations, the female host animals and, among them, the cows showed the most severe louse infestation. Larvae of the parasite accounted for only 0.3% and adult lice represented 3.2% of all the developmental stages recovered, while 96.4% of the stages found were louse eggs. The hair samples from the bulls yielded five adult lice and 83 louse eggs, while those from the cows yielded 78 adult lice, eight larvae and 2348 louse eggs. The hair samples from the buffalo heifers yielded 12 adult lice, two larvae and 641 louse eggs, while from those of

Lice may serve as biological or mechanical vectors for various infectious agents. *Haematopinus tuberculatus* is known to be a vector for the species *Trypanosoma evansi* and *Anaplasma marginale*. *H. tuberculatus* invasion might play a role as a vector in the intensive spreading of mycoplasma infection among buffaloes. The results of the study of Egri et al. draw attention to the importance of preventing the spread of **mycoplasma** infection and implementing control programs against parasitoses of animals [18]. The occurrence of cattle-associated Bartonella species was investigated in the cattle tail louse *Haematopinus quadripertusus* and in dairy cattle blood in the study of Gutiérrez et al. from Israel [23]. The lice were identified morphologically and molecularly using 18S rRNA sequencing. Thereafter, they were screened for Bartonella DNA by conventional and real-time PCR assays using four partial genetic loci (gltA, rpoB, ssrA, and internal transcribed spacer [ITS]). A potentially novel Bartonella variant, closely related to other ruminant bartonellae, was identified in 11 of 13 louse pools collected in summer. In the cattle blood, the prevalence of Bartonella infection was 38%, identified as *B. bovis* and *B. henselae* (24 and 12%, respectively). A third genotype, closely related to *Bartonella melophagi* and *Bartonella chomelii* (based on the ssrA gene) and to *B. bovis* (based on the ITS sequence) was identified in a single cow. The relatively high prevalence of these Bartonella species in cattle and the occurrence of phylogenetically diverse Bartonella variants in both cattle and their lice suggest the potential role of this animal system in the generation of Bartonella species diversity. To investigate louse infestation of ruminants and pathogens potentially transmitted by them, anopluran lice (n = 1182) were collected in Hungary and evaluated for the presence of anaplasma, rickettsia and hemotropic mycoplasma DNA in the study of Hornok et al. [24]. On cattle, the following species were found: *Linognathus vituli* (57%), *Haematopinus eurysternus* (38%) and *Solenopotes capillatus* (5%). *L. vituli* had a lower mean individual count/ host when compared to *H. eurysternus*. On calves, only *L. vituli* was observed, with a higher louse burden than on full-grown cattle*. H. eurysternus* and *S. capillatus* were more likely to

young males, seven adult lice and 16 louse eggs were recovered [18].

occur simultaneously with another species on the same host, than *L. vituli*.

Sampling involves carefully inspecting sections of skin on a representative sample of animals in the herd, either 10% or 15 animals in each group: mature cows, heifers, and calves. The best regions to inspect are head, neck, shoulders, back, hips, and tail. If sampling indicates that

**6. Diagnosis and monitoring**

**5. Vector significance**

84 Bovine Science - A Key to Sustainable Development

Classical concentrates for dipping and spraying with traditional contact insecticides (mainly organophosphates, synthetic pyrethroids and amidines) are quite effective lousicides for cattle. However, such insecticides do not kill lice eggs (nits) and their residual effect is usually not long enough to ensure that immature lice are killed when hatching out of the eggs. A variety of compounds effectively control lice in cattle, including synergized pyrethrins, the synthetic pyrethroids cyfluthrin, permethrin, zeta cypermethrin, and cyhalothrin (including gamma- and lambda-cyhalothrin) (beef cattle only). Many pyrethroids are lyophilic, which assists the development of pour-on formulations with good distribution [28]. Natural pyrethrins are quickly degraded, while synthetic pyrethroids such as flumethrin and deltamethrin have greater stability and a relatively long period of action [29], but they do not affect all developmental stages of the louse life cycle. Organophosphates such as phosmet, chlorpyrifos (beef and nonlactating dairy cattle only), tetrachlorvinphos, coumaphos, and diazinon (beef and nonlactating dairy cattle only) are used against lice. Certain Brahman and Brahman-cross cattle have organophosphate hypersensitivity, which should be considered when selecting a treatment compound. The compounds such as macrocyclic lactones ivermectin, eprinomectin, and doramectin are also used to control lice in cattle. Injectable macrocyclic lactones will also control biting lice, since they reach the parasites through the blood stream of the host. But control of chewing lice is usually incomplete<sup>2</sup> . Pour-on formulations are effective against biting and bloodsucking lice, whereas injectable formulations are primarily effective against bloodsucking lice.

<sup>2</sup> The interesting thing about it is that in the treatment of chewing or biting lice, *Werneckiella equi equi* (Denny, 1842) infestation in a foal stock in Hungary, which was treated with paste Eqvalan (MSD) (and Rintal Plus (Bayer)) at doses of 0.2 mg/kg (and 8.4 g/100 kg) body weight, respectively, after 13 days was not found with the nits of lice [30].

Multiple pour-on formulations of 5% permethrin/5% piperonyl butoxide, 5% diflubenzuron/5% permethrin, and gamma cyhalothrin are labeled for season-long control (~3–4 mo) of lice on beef and dairy cattle. Although both amitraz and spinosad are effective against lice, the last cattle products containing amitraz were removed from the USA market in 2014. Spinosad formulations for use on cattle were officially discontinued in the USA in 2010. In 2016, Bayer Animal Health introduces Clean-Up TM II Pour-On Insecticide with an insect growth regulator (IGR) pour-on for topical application to control lice on dairy and beef cattle and calves.

**Author details**

Address all correspondence to: egri.borisz@sze.hu

Department of Animal Science, Széchenyi István University, Mosonmagyaróvár, Hungary

Louse Infestation of Ruminants

87

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.79257

[1] Urquhart GM, Armour J, Duncan JL, Dunn AM, Jennings FW. Veterinary Parasitology.

[2] Urquhart GM, Armour J, Duncan JL, Dunn AM, Jennings FW. Veterinary Parasitology.

[3] parasitipedia.net/index.php?option=com\_content&view=article&id=2398&Hemid=2665

[6] Nickel WE. The economical importance of cattle lice in Australia: Advances in systemic control by pour-on method. Revue de Médecine Vétérinaire. 1971;**2/3**:392-404

[7] Durden LA, Musser GG. The Sucking Lice (Insecta, Anoplura) of the World: A Taxonomic Checklist with Records of Mammalian Hosts and Geographical Distributors. Vol. 218.

[8] https://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/vmth/local\_resources/pdf/misc\_pdfs/ varga\_article-

[9] Hussain MA, Khan MN, Iqbal Z, Sajid MS, Arshad M. Bovine pediculosis: Prevalence and chemotherapeutic control in Pakistan. Livestock Research for Rural Development.

[10] Fadok VA. Parasitic skin diseases of large animals. Veterinary Clinics of North America:

[11] Gibney VJ, Campbell JB, Boxler DJ, Clanton DC, Deutscher GH. Effects of various infestation levels of cattle lice (Mallophaga: *Trichodectidae and Anoplura: Haematopinidae*) on feed efficiency and weight gains of beef heifers. Journal of Economic Entomology. 1985;

[12] Loomis EC. Ectoparasites of cattle. The Veterinary Clinics of North America. 1986;**2**:299-321.

Avon, UK: Longman Scientific and Technical, Bath Press; 1996

[4] phthiraptera.Info/category/lice/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/phthiraptera

[5] https://www.msdvetmanual.com/integumentary-system/lice/lice-in-cattle

New York: Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History; 1994

Borisz Egri

**References**

Essex: Longman; 1987

Nov13.pdf

2006;**18**:10-17. For author's personal use

**78**:1304-1307. DOI: 10.1093/jee/78.6.1304

DOI: 10.1016/s0749-0720(15)31240-8

Large Animal Practice. 1984;**6**:3-26

The compound chosen must be appropriate for the animal's age, reproductive status, and production system. The treatment of meat and dairy animals must be restricted to uses specified on the product label, and all label precautions should be carefully observed. Appropriate meat and milk withdrawal times must be observed. In most countries, regulatory agencies specify tissue residue limits of insecticides and carefully regulate insecticide use on livestock. All regulations are subject to change, and pertinent current local laws and requirements should be determined before treatment [5, 27].

Research on the use of entomopathogenic fungi (*Metarhizium anisopliae*) for the biological control of lice has shown promising results.

By the Parasitipedia.net for the time being, there are vaccines that will protect cattle by making them immune to lice. There are repellents natural or synthetic that will keep lice away from cattle. And there are traps for catching cattle lice. Insecticides must be used properly to achieve satisfactory control of lice. Many louse-control products require two treatments, 10 to 14 days apart. *The second treatment is essential to kill newly hatched lice that were present as eggs at the time of the first treatment and were therefore not killed.* Failure to make the second treatment in a timely manner will create problems requiring many more subsequent treatments [3].
