Chemical-Free Solution to Halt the Spread of Lyme Disease
As Lyme disease is growing exponentially and has reached epidemic proportions, the pressure for viable solutions present a unique opportunity to research and development companies around the world. A recent announcement should give us all tremendous hope.
A company in Israel has developed a chemical-free, environmentally safe anti-tick spray that is safe for pets and farm animals according to a news story released yesterday by Israel 21c.Israel 21c is a not-for-profit agency out of California whose mission is to encourage and report on technology and business between the US and Israel.
The spray, comparable to Frontline (without the toxic chemicals) is based on 15 years of research at the Volcani Institute in Israel, and takes advantage of the fact that ticks do have natural enemies. One in particular is a naturally occurring fungus called Metarhizium anisopliae, which latches onto and consumes the protein exoskeleton of the tick, causing death.
The spray will be marketed by an Israeli company, Mitam. The CEO of Mitam is Tzali Cnaani (pictured), who is now working with the US Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the US to prepare for commercial sales expected to start in 2010.
The solution is believed to be effective on a number of ectoparasites that penetrate the outer body of an animal, although the scientific evidence is not yet available.
Normally present in nature or in a cowshed in small amounts, Mitam has found a way to amplify the fungus’s potency and supply it food, while it waits for a tick to jump into an animals’ fur.
“It eats the tick, and there is no egg laying. This is one of the products main achievements. What also makes it a plus for farmers and pet owners is that Mitam’s spray can be applied either to the animal’s habitat on the farm or at home, as well as on the animal directly.
No resistance and kid-safe
One problem with existing methods of tick control, is that the materials are poisonous and harm the environment. Household pets are close to the children and it rubs off onto their tender hands.
Also Tzali Cnaani explains: “The ticks develop resistance to it, and eventually it becomes less and less effective. There is room for a solution that is environmentally friendly. We are using something natural.”
Proven efficacy in the greenhouse
The fungus being bred by the company has already been shown to be a sound biological control solution in the agriculture business, and is used to keep pests off greenhouse-grown berries.
In the cattle business, beef farmers especially are actively seeking new solutions to save their livestock from cattle tick fever, which leads to anemia and even death in some cases. There are 1.3 billion head of cattle in the world, says Cnaani, and according to experts the overall damage from cattle tick fever is enormous, at $7 billion a year worldwide.
The cost of Lyme disease on the US economy has not yet been measured, but there can be no doubt that the success of a product like this, especially if it were applied to endemic areas on a large scale, would slow the growth of Lyme and potentially stop it in its tracks.
Similar Posts:
- Protect Your Home From Lyme – Treat Mice With Cotton Balls.
- Hopeful Strategy For Reducing The Spread Of Lyme
- Can We Use The Wisdom of Mother Nature to Stop the Wild Spread Of Lyme Disease?
- Klinghardt Academy of Neurobiology is Closing its Doors.
- Another Epidemic: Bartonella and the Hideous Complications With Chronic Lyme Disease.
- New Antibiotic Cream for Early Lyme Disease
- Lyme Disease Listed As A Threat From Terrorists.
- New Lyme Disease Acknowledged
- Another Big Lie – Lyme Transmission Time
- Great News re: Possible Lyme Vaccine from Viral Genetics
October 26th, 2011 at 8:04 am
[...] Chemical-Free Solution to Halt the Spread of Lyme Disease [...]
December 10th, 2011 at 10:03 am
[...] Chemical-Free Solution to Halt the Spread of Lyme Disease [...]