Fluralaner as a novel treatment for sarcoptic mange in the bare-nosed wombat (Vombatus ursinus): safety, pharmacokinetics, efficacy and practicable use

Vicky Wilkinson; Kotaro Takano; David Nichols; Alynn Martin; Roz Holme; David N Phalen; Kate Mounsey; Michael Charleston; Alexandre Kreiss; Ruth Pye; Elizabeth Browne; Christina Næsborg-Nielsen; Shane A Richards; Scott Carver

doi:10.1186/s13071-020-04500-9

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Fluralaner as a novel treatment for sarcoptic mange in the bare-nosed wombat (Vombatus ursinus): safety, pharmacokinetics, efficacy and practicable use

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Fluralaner as a novel treatment for sarcoptic mange in the bare-nosed wombat (Vombatus ursinus): safety, pharmacokinetics, efficacy and practicable use

Vicky Wilkinson, Kotaro Takano, David Nichols, Alynn Martin, Roz Holme, David N Phalen, Kate Mounsey, Michael Charleston, Alexandre Kreiss, Ruth Pye, …

Parasites & Vectors, Vol.14(1), pp.1-21

2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-020-04500-9

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Abstract

Fluralaner

Sarcoptic mange

Sarcoptes scabiei

Bare-nosed wombat

Safety

Pharmacokinetics

Efficacy

BACKGROUND: Sarcoptic mange causes significant animal welfare and occasional conservation concerns for bare-nosed wombats (Vombatus ursinus) throughout their range. To date, in situ chemotherapeutic interventions have involved macrocytic lactones, but their short duration of action and need for frequent re-administration has limited treatment success. Fluralaner (Bravecto®; MSD Animal Health), a novel isoxazoline class ectoparasiticide, has several advantageous properties that may overcome such limitations. METHODS: Fluralaner was administered topically at 25 mg/kg (n = 5) and 85 mg/kg (n = 2) to healthy captive bare-nosed wombats. Safety was assessed over 12 weeks by clinical observation and monitoring of haematological and biochemical parameters. Fluralaner plasma pharmacokinetics were quantified using ultra-performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. Efficacy was evaluated through clinical assessment of response to treatment, including mange and body condition scoring, for 15 weeks after topical administration of 25 mg/kg fluralaner to sarcoptic mange-affected wild bare-nosed wombats (n = 3). Duration of action was determined through analysis of pharmacokinetic parameters and visual inspection of study subjects for ticks during the monitoring period. Methods for diluting fluralaner to enable 'pour-on' application were compared, and an economic and treatment effort analysis of fluralaner relative to moxidectin was undertaken. RESULTS: No deleterious health impacts were detected following fluralaner administration. Fluralaner was absorbed and remained quantifiable in plasma throughout the monitoring period. For the 25 mg/kg and 85 mg/kg treatment groups, the respective means for maximum recorded plasma concentrations (Cmax) were 6.2 and 16.4 ng/ml; for maximum recorded times to Cmax, 3.0 and 37.5 days; and for plasma elimination half-lives, 40.1 and 166.5 days. Clinical resolution of sarcoptic mange was observed in all study animals within 3-4 weeks of treatment, and all wombats remained tick-free for 15 weeks. A suitable product for diluting fluralaner into a 'pour-on' was found. Treatment costs were competitive, and predicted treatment effort was substantially lower relative to moxidectin. CONCLUSIONS: Fluralaner appears to be a safe and efficacious treatment for sarcoptic mange in the bare-nosed wombat, with a single dose lasting over 1-3 months. It has economic and treatment-effort-related advantages over moxidectin, the most commonly used alternative. We recommend a dose of 25 mg/kg fluralaner and, based on the conservative assumption that at least 50% of a dose makes dermal contact, Bravecto Spot-On for Large Dogs as the most appropriate formulation for adult bare-nosed wombats.

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Title: Fluralaner as a novel treatment for sarcoptic mange in the bare-nosed wombat (Vombatus ursinus): safety, pharmacokinetics, efficacy and practicable use
Authors: Vicky Wilkinson (Author) - University of Tasmania
Kotaro Takano (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
David Nichols (Author) - University of Tasmania
Alynn Martin (Author) - University of Tasmania
Roz Holme (Author) - Cedar Creek Wombat Rescue Inc
David N Phalen (Author) - The University of Sydney
Kate Mounsey (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Health and Sport Sciences - Legacy
Michael Charleston (Author) - University of Tasmania
Alexandre Kreiss (Author) - Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary
Ruth Pye (Author) - Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary
Elizabeth Browne (Author) - University of Tasmania
Christina Næsborg-Nielsen (Author) - University of Tasmania
Shane A Richards (Author) - University of Tasmania
Scott Carver (Author) - University of Tasmania
Publication details: Parasites & Vectors, Vol.14(1), pp.1-21
Publisher: BioMed Central Ltd.
Date published: 2021
DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-04500-9
ISSN: 1756-3305
Copyright note: Copyright (C) The Authors 2021. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated in a credit line to the data.
Organisation Unit: School of Health - Biomedicine; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Health and Sport Sciences - Legacy; School of Science, Technology and Engineering; School of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Legacy
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99502308802621
Output Type: Journal article

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