The effectiveness of high-temperature treatments against Dermanyssus gallinae in layer poultry farms with a commercial eggs production, and an evaluation of its secondary effects to Total Bacterial Load (TBL)

Abstract: The use of high temperatures in the field topic of disinfestation is widespread within the urban and food sectors as an alternative solution to pesticides and toxic gases, especially in mills and pasta factories. We have extended this methodology also to layer poultry farms commercially producing eggs. This study aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of high-temperature treatments carried out between 2014 and 2019 against all life stages of Dermanyssus gallinae. Electrical heaters were positioned inside several poultry farms (ranging between 8,000 and 35,000 m3) during the “empty sanitation period”. Reaching temperatures > 55 °C and < 65 °C and humidity reduction rate between 5% and 10%, with exposure times of 36-48 hours. All the treatments showed 100% effectiveness on biological tests conducted in test-tubes containing D. gallinae adults with an unspecified number of eggs. Preliminary data of side-effects caused by heat on total bacterial contamination (TBL). The high-temperature treatment represents an effective, sustainable method for D. gallinae control as well as an interesting way for some disinfection procotol system.