Protecting Yourself with Repellents
Originally developed by Dr. Sonja L. Swiger and Molly Keck with Mike Merchant What is a repellent?
Anything that repels, or disrupts the normal host seeking behavior of, a pest. Repellents are a kind of pesticide
Any substance or mixture of substances used to prevent, destroy, repel pest or reduce the damage caused by pests Subject to same label requirements as all pesticides
Learn the label
Look for the EPA registration and Establishment numbers on the insect repellent product label. ◉ This registration number means the company provided EPA with technical information on the effectiveness of the product against mosquitoes and/or ticks. Some repellents may state that they are exempt from federal labeling laws under a Section 25(b) exemption Learn the label
Read all the directions for use Label instructions are legal requirements, not suggestions
N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET)
U.S. military discovered repellency of DEET in 1953 Broad spectrum repellent effective against all mosquitoes, some flies and ticks Est. 78 million people in U.S. use DEET safely US troops receiving repellents at the end of each year WWII. Malaria and other insect born diseases were a major source of casualties in the Pacific theater, leading to ground breaking research on repellents. DEET
Principal, most effective repellent available today The standard against which all other repellents are compared Most thoroughly studied and tested with protection documented up to 6-8 hours Health concerns with DEET?
Reports linking it to seizures, encephalopathy, neurotoxicity, especially in children Very small number of cases, most of which associated with excessive or inappropriate use 1998 EPA re-assessment of DEET concluded that if label directions are followed, repellents with DEET do not pose a health concern to the general population, including children and pregnant women.
The Four Ds are changing
◉ Drain standing water ◉ Stay indoors during Dawn and Dusk ◉ Dress in long sleeves and pants ◉ DEET ◉ DEET no longer the only acceptable product for mosquito repellency Commercial Insect Repellents
EPA Registered Repellents: CDC Approved Products: ◉ DEET ◉ DEET ◉ Picaridin ◉ Picaradin ◉ IR3535 ◉ IR3535 ◉ Citronella ◉ Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus ◉ 2-undecanone ◉ Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus ◉ Catnip Oil
CDC recommendations:
Products containing these active ingredients typically provide reasonably long-lasting protection: ◉ DEET ◉ Picaridin ◉ Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus* or PMD (Chemical Name: para- Menthane-3,8-diol) the synthesized version of oil of lemon eucalyptus ◉ IR3535 (Chemical Name: 3-[N-Butyl-N-acetyl]-aminopropionic acid, ethyl ester) Picaridin (2-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperidinecarboxylic acid 1-methylpropyl ester; KBR3023)
Registered by US EPA 2003 High level of control comparable in many studies to DEET Low odor, not oily EPA lists as 3-8 hours repellency for different concentrations Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus Para-menthane-3,8-diol (PMD)
Derived from leaves of eucalyptus plant Similar smell and cooling to menthol EPA lists protection time at 6 hrs for most products containing 30-40% active ingredient IR3535 3-[N-Butyl-N-acetyl]-aminopropionic acid, ethyl ester
Used in Europe for 20 years prior to US registration in 1999 Relatively short complete protection time, less than one-hour in some studies Among recommended products by CDC, for those needing shorter protection times than DEET BioUD 2 - undecanone
Registered 2007 by EPA Originally derived from wild tomatoes North Carolina State University 2008 lab studies ◉ Arm cage studies compared favorably to DEET for Aedes Not yet on recommended list from CDC Citronella
Not included on CDC recommended list, but shows some repellency for shorter times (generally less than one hour) Commercial product examples ◉ Buzz Away ◉ Citronella, cedarwood, eucalyptus, lemongrass ◉ Alleged USDA 8 hour protection ◉ 1997, Oregon State Study – slight repellency at 0.5 hours, none after ◉ Green Ban ◉ Citronella, cedarwood, eucalyptus, lavender, sassfras, peppermint…. ◉ No repellency
Off! Clip-On Mosquito Repellent
Releases vaporized form of metofluthrin (pyrethroid) and expels via small fan. To be clipped on a belt. ◉ Spatial repellency ◉ Mortality of mosquitoes Wind, personal movement may reduce effectiveness Limited studies ◉ 70% & 79% protection, Aedes albopictus, A. taeniorhychus (Xue et al, 2012)
Repellents for clothing Certain products containing permethrin are recommended ◉ on clothing ◉ shoes ◉ bed nets ◉ camping gear Permethrin products should not be applied directly to skin Repellent treated clothing good for 30-40 washings Choosing an Insect Repellent: How Do I Know Which Repellent is Right?
Key points to remember when selecting an insect repellent include: ◉ Insects from which you want protection ◉ Length of time you need protection ◉ Active ingredient and percent
Repellents and Children
◉ DEET products should not be used on children less than 2 months old ◉ American Academy of Pediatrics recommends using products containing no more than 30% DEET on children ◉ Oil of lemon eucalyptus products should not be used on children under the age of three. ◉ The CDC does not recommend use of products that combine a sunscreen with an insect repellent because the sunscreen has to be reapplied more often than the repellent.
Repellents and Children
Common label precautions ◉ "Do not allow children to handle this product, and do not apply to children’s hands. When using on children, apply to your own hands and then put it on the child. ◉ “After returning indoors, wash your child’s treated skin and clothes with soap and water or bathe."
Repellents and Children
Additional Information About Safe Use of Insect Repellents ◉ Insect Repellent Use and Safety - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ◉ Using Insect Repellents on Children- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ◉ Traveler's Health: Mosquito and Tick Protection - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ◉ Safety Tips on Using Personal Insect Repellents - Health Canada ◉ Repellents and Children - American Academy of Pediatrics ◉ DEET General Fact Sheet – NPIC
Insect Repellent calculators
http://cfpub.epa.gov/oppref/insect Insect repellent calculators
National Pesticide Information Center
http://pi.ace.orst.edu/repellents/ Home remedies that don’t work Consumer Report 2012
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2012/08/best-insect-repellents/index.htm