If you’re a dog owner, chances are that you’ve heard of ivermectin before - but do you know all of the benefits that come with it? Here are some surprising facts about this drug that will make you consider switching to it from another form of flea and tick prevention. Ivermectin can be found in many products, including topical solutions and collars, so read on to find out if you should make the switch!
Ivermectin is used to treat onchocerciasis
Onchocerciasis is caused by a parasitic worm called Onchocerca volvulus, and it occurs in more than 30 countries across Africa and Latin America. The disease is transmitted to humans through bites from certain species of black flies that breed near fast-flowing rivers. Once infected, people develop severe itching from infection around their eyes and on their skin, as well as a potentially blinding eye disease called onchocerciasis keratitis. It can take up to 15 years for onchocerciasis symptoms to appear after a person becomes infected with O. volvulus; in some cases, vision loss starts almost immediately after infection but may be slow to progress over time.
Ivermectin treats river blindness
While it’s more commonly prescribed to humans, ivermectin also treats river blindness, a debilitating disease that can cause blindness and is transmitted by insects known as black flies. The drug works by killing off the larvae responsible for infecting humans and transmitting river blindness. That’s not all: Ivermectin also combats cases of lymphatic filariasis, another disease spread by black flies. Human cases have decreased from 200 million in 1986 to less than 2 million today due to widespread use of ivermectin. Now that's something we can all celebrate!
Ivermectin treats lice
Believe it or not, lice is a very common problem in many school-aged children. It may be embarrassing and uncomfortable, but lice can be cured with a simple treatment that requires no chemicals whatsoever. The solution to your little one’s lice problem? Ivermectin. Although only approved by Health Canada for veterinary use (on livestock) as a dewormed and parasite killer, it has been found to be an effective treatment for head lice infestations on humans as well. The drug works by paralyzing and then killing off parasitic worms such as head lice.
Ivermectin treats scabies
Scabies is a skin infestation caused by tiny mites. The CDC says scabies affects an estimated 2 million Americans annually, most commonly children and people who live in crowded conditions such as nursing homes, prisons and homeless shelters. Because it is spread through direct contact with an infected person or his/her clothes or bedding, it can easily be spread among schoolchildren or patients in hospitals or clinics. Ivermectin has been approved for treating scabies since 1997 and studies have shown that it may be more effective than older drugs like permethrin.
Ivermectin has been used in humans since 1981
Ivermectin was first approved by FDA for use in humans in 1981, after it had already been used to treat animals for more than a decade. It remains an important treatment for scabies and river blindness, two diseases that affect millions of people globally. Ivermectin is one component of Mectizan®, a drug given annually to poor people living in affected areas to treat these parasites. Since 1987, Mectizan has donated over one billion doses around the world and has saved thousands of lives. While ivermectin's medical uses are relatively straightforward—it effectively kills parasites—there are plenty of other reasons why scientists are so interested in learning more about it.
Scientists have found ivermectin may also be useful against Ebola
According to a recent study, researchers have confirmed that doses of ivermectin, a common drug for killing parasitic worms, can also protect against an Ebola infection. Though still in animal studies, these results are promising and could lead to a new treatment option for people infected with Ebola. Ivermectin is approved by regulatory agencies to treat onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis — two types of parasitic diseases caused by thread-like worms. In humans, however, it can also bind certain receptors linked to pathogenesis — but more research is needed to understand how exactly it works.
