Fipronil : parents use the pesticide to eliminate lice from their children

AndreyPopov/Epictura

Published the 19.08.2017 at 19h26

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Keywords :

fipronilpouxperturbateurs endocrine

Then that fipronil has caused much ink to flow after the scandal of contaminated eggs, the site of the Obs reveals the tendency of some parents to use a surge suppressor containing the same molecule to get rid of the lice that colonize the heads of their children. “In desperation I put this product … radical,” writes Loulouz on the online forum Rescue. “A single application was enough. My children have never had lice. When an outbreak of head lice occurs in school, I apply the product in prevention,” wrote another mom on the forum Onmeda.fr.

Normally intended to eliminate fleas from dog hair and cat, the spray antipuce called Frontline composition of this powerful and effective, but also potentially harmful to humans. In 2014, the national Agency health safety of food, environment and labour (Anses), stated clearly in a press release that a veterinary product may only be used on a human, in any case, and even less on a child.

“As a result of new reporting of the use of veterinary products to treat head lice on children, Anses wishes to remind that a treatment pest insecticide and / or miticide for pets must not be administered to a human, let alone a child.”

Vomiting, skin irritations, neurological problems…

If the phenomenon is not new, it remains no less disturbing. In fact, several poison control centres have reported many incidents of poisoning following the use of Frontline on a human : vomiting, skin irritations…and sometimes even neurological problems, reports Obs.

However, even if you do not use Frontline on your children, the danger is not minimal if you have a dog or a cat at home and that you give the product. Indeed, an experiment conducted by the Obs in 2015 has indicated the presence of Fipronil, endocrine disruptor, in the 63 locks of hair of children aged less than 12 years.

They had inhaled the fipronil playing with their pet. It is therefore important that parents ensure that their children are not in contact with an animal if it comes to be treated.

100 times more fipronil than in the contaminated eggs

In comparison with the case of the contaminated eggs, the Frontline would contain 100 times more fipronil. According to the ANSES, only doses ingested in large quantities could be toxic to the human : “the rare observations of seizures identified in the international literature are related to ingestions of large quantities of this type of products.” This would be potentially the case with this product.

But the parents at the end of nerves, be reassured : there are solutions to treat head lice. A new treatment has recently been made available. Furthermore, the products containing an activator to the actizoryte would be more simple to use and thus ensure a better efficiency.