Ivermectin is known in the developed world primarily as a drug to treat head lice in children and heartworm in animals .
在发达国家，人们知道伊维菌素主要是用来治疗孩子头虱和动物心丝虫病的药物。
In the new study , foy and colleagues wanted to know whether ivermectin 's insecticidal effect translated into fewer infectious mosquitoes , which in turn could slow the spread of malaria .
Many countries use ivermectin in a strategy called mass drug administration ( mda ) , which means that the entire population in an affected area is given the drug once or twice a year .
