Insecticide efficacy on ticks (Dermacentor spp.) – Case study from an infested territory in Transylvania, Romania

Ticks can be a major concern for humans and animals alike through the transmission of various viral and bacterial diseases. Ticks have also developed tolerance to several active compounds due to intensive insecticide treatments. The excess use of insecticides against ticks worldwide is mostly environmental contamination rather than effective control. Thus, information about the useful chemicals is essential. Dermacentor marginatus and Dermacentor reticulatus individuals were tested, being collected in Transylvania, near the city of Târgu-Mureş, Romania. The experiment was performed under laboratory conditions in two replicates, using a total of 420 ticks and 19 insecticides. The best results were achieved with alpha-cypermethrin and pyrethrin.