Efficacy of a topical product combining esafoxolaner, eprinomectin and praziquantel against bedbug (Cimex lectularius) experimental infestations in cats

Bedbugs (Cimex lectularius) are a persistent nuisance pest for humans and their home environment, and may also opportunistically feed on other mammals, including household pets like dogs and cats. NexGard(®) Combo is a topical endectoparasiticide product for cats combining esafoxolaner, an isoxazoline compound with insecticidal and acaricidal properties, the nematocide eprinomectin and the cestocide praziquantel. The insecticidal efficacy of this product was evaluated in cats experimentally infested with C. lectularius in a blinded, negative controlled and randomized study. Two groups of 7 cats were formed: an untreated control group, and a NexGard(®) Combo group treated once on Day 0 at the label dose. Cats were then challenged weekly, each with twenty unfed adult C. lectularius, on Days 1, 7, 14, 21 and 28. After close contact with the cat’s skin for 15 min, live fed C. lectularius were collected and incubated for 96 h. The weekly efficacy evaluations were based on a comparison of the number of surviving bedbugs in the control and the treated group after 48, 72 and 96 h of incubation. The model was demonstrated to be robust as in the control group the average feeding rate after the 15-minute challenge was 94%, and as 96% of incubated bed bugs were alive after 96 hours of incubation. Significant live bedbug reductions were demonstrated in the Nexgard(®) Combo treated group: after 96 h of incubation, the reductions ranged from 80.6 to 88.0% during the Day 1 to Day 21 period, and dropped to 58% at Day 28.