Contact: Maridith Geuder
With substantial funding from the Environmental Protection Agency, a Mississippi State University toxicologist is expanding her study of the human risks flea collars may pose, especially to children.
Janice E. Chambers recently received a $712,000 grant to investigate and assess the potential human impact of specific flea-control products used on pets. One of MSU's Giles Distinguished Professors, she previously received more than $600,000 from EPA to launch what was a first-of-its-kind study in this area.
Children's vulnerability to toxic substances is EPA's primary concern, Chambers said.
"No study before ours has quantified the flea control residues that can be transferred to children," she said. The potential impact is significant, she added, since more than a third of United States households own a dog and more than half of pet-owning households also have children.
Chambers' work takes place at MSU's College of Veterinary Medicine, where she heads the Center for Environmental Health Science. Her research collaborators on the new three-year project include Drs. J. Scott Boone and John W. Tyler of the college.
Their work began by recruiting pet-owning families in the Starkville area whose households include children ages 4-12. While treating family dogs with common over-the-counter flea control products, they will monitor the family members for exposure levels.
"We will do urinary biomonitoring to determine if there is any appreciable transfer of insecticide from the animal to the child," Chamber explained.
In the earlier phase of the study, dogs were sampled before and after treatment by rubbing the fur with white cotton gloves. Materials on the gloves then were extracted with organic solvents by standard methods used for pesticide residue analysis.
In this second phase, biomonitoring will help determine if children in the household metabolize a variety of flea treatment pesticides.
"If children touch a dog treated for fleas, their contaminated hands can easily go to their mouths," Chambers said. "We want to discover if this kind of intermittent exposure can present a hazard.
"We believe this study will provide valuable information to help ensure accurate assessment of any potential risks associated with exposure to flea treatment chemicals," she added.
NEWS EDITORS/DIRECTORS: For more information about the study, telephone Chambers at (662) 325-1255.