Chemical control of Dermanyssus gallinae: animal and human health concerns

The poultry industry still relies widely on chemical acaricides to control the red mite Dermanyssus gallinae. The number of registered products available on the market has remained limited, and farmers continue to use products not specifically labelled for use against red mites on poultry. These include products registered for use in agriculture or on other animals – often in higher concentrations and more frequently - or even, recently, ‘miracle’ products, containing unknown chemical molecules. The use of unregulated, ‘home-made’ treatments and the lack of regulations relating to products for treating red mites causes serious consequences to the poultry industry. In addition, the situation also threatens animal and human health because it favours the widely-attested development of acaricideresistant D. gallinae populations, and the accumulation of acaricide residues in chickens' organs and tissues, as has already been registered in some specific cases of chemical misuse/abuse in Italy. The authors contribute their scientific experience and data in order to highlight the pressing need for stricter surveillance by the Health Authorities, who are urged to tackle the problem and to establish specific regulations in order to safeguard human and animal health, and to protect the poultry industry.