Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41896989›Full record

ArticleParasites & vectors2026

Evaluation of the safety and insecticidal efficacy of ivermectin-treated bird feed formulations in different avian species.

Michelle J Savran, Kathryn Coffin, Claire M Stewart, Chilinh Nguyen, Catalina Puska, Molly E Ring, Anna-Sophia Leon, Preston Schweiner, Tilman Peters, Jenna C Randall and 7 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Parasites & vectors, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

17 authors.

Michelle J SavranCenter for Vector-Borne and Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA. msavran@colostate.edu.
Kathryn CoffinCenter for Vector-Borne and Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
Claire M StewartCenter for Vector-Borne and Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
Chilinh NguyenCenter for Vector-Borne and Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
Catalina PuskaCenter for Vector-Borne and Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
Molly E RingCenter for Vector-Borne and Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
Anna-Sophia LeonCenter for Vector-Borne and Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
Preston SchweinerCenter for Vector-Borne and Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
Tilman PetersCenter for Vector-Borne and Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
Jenna C RandallCenter for Vector-Borne and Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
Jenny BuczekDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
Paula LadoCenter for Vector-Borne and Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
Emily N GallichotteCenter for Vector-Borne and Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
Brady ClapsaddleTDA Research Inc., Wheat Ridge, CO, USA.
Christopher M BarkerDepartment of Pathology, Microbiology & Immunology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
Gregory D EbelCenter for Vector-Borne and Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
Brian D FoyCenter for Vector-Borne and Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.

Funding

West Nile virus control through mosquitocidal avian bloodmealsR01AI148633 · NIAID · COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY · PI FOY, BRIAN DAVID · 2020 to 2024
$3.3M
NIAID NIH HHS R01 AI148633NIH HHS R01AI148633
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundWest Nile virus (WNV) is maintained in an enzootic cycle between reservoir host birds and Culex (Cx.) spp. mosquitoes. This relationship presents a potential target for vector control strategies. Ivermectin (IVM), an endectocidal drug that selectively affects invertebrates while remaining safe at high concentrations in mammals and birds, can be delivered to Culex tarsalis via blood meals from birds fed IVM-treated bird feed. In this study, we evaluated the safety, efficacy, and utility of IVM-treated bird feed as a novel vector control strategy by assessing its impact on multiple bird species and mosquitoes.

methodsMosquitoes were collected during peak WNV transmission season in Northern Colorado and DNA extracted from blood meals to determine host species. Chickens, pigeons, zebra finches, and house sparrows were fed different formulations of IVM-treated bird feed and observed for clinical signs, and their sera were fed to Cx. tarsalis mosquitoes to evaluate mosquitocidal efficacy. Feeding rates and IVM serum concentrations in birds were analyzed using unpaired t-tests and one-way ANOVA, and mosquito survivorship was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier curves and compared using paired log-rank tests. IVM serum concentration and mosquito survivorship were compared using Spearman correlation.

resultsSpeciation analyses conducted on blood meals from Cx. tarsalis collected during peak WNV transmission season in Northern Colorado determined that they feed primarily on songbird species that commonly visit bird feeders, with house sparrows representing the most frequent blood meal host. In laboratory experiments using multiple formulations and doses of IVM, chickens, pigeons, zebra finches, and house sparrows ate comparable amounts of IVM-treated bird feed compared to untreated feed, had similar weight gain, and exhibited no clinical signs of toxicity. Both colony-reared and locally captured Cx. tarsalis showed significant mortality after feeding on sera from IVM-treated birds compared to controls.

conclusionsThese results suggest that targeting songbirds with IVM-treated bird feed should be safe for wildlife and may elicit high rates of IVM-induced mortality by reaching a large proportion of WNV vector mosquitoes via their proclivity for feeding on passerine birds.

Indexed as

Animal FeedCulexInsecticidesIvermectinWest Nile FeverAnimalsBird DiseasesBirdsChickensColoradoFemaleMosquito-Borne DiseasesMosquito ControlMosquito VectorsSparrowsWest Nile virusInsecticidesIvermectinAvian reservoir hostCulex tarsalisIvermectinMosquito controlWest Nile virusWildlife self-medication

Identifiers

PMID41896989
PMCPMC13151197

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.