Susceptibility of British head lice, <i>Pediculus capitis</i> , to imidacloprid and fipronil

Abstract

The head louse, Pediculus capitis De Geer (Phthiraptera: Pediculidae) has developed resistance to organochlorines, the organophosphate malathion and to pyrethroids in the U.K. Therefore, headlice from Bristol school children were bioassayed against two new insecticides, fipronil and imidacloprid. Pediculus capitis was fully susceptible to imidacloprid, but it required a relatively high dose and acted slowly. Fipronil acted faster at lower dose, but seemed to be affected by cross-resistance in a small proportion of P. capitis.