Mosquito Season Is Upon Us

2.2k · April 28, 2005

From CNN website:

ATLANTA, Georgia (AP) -- After years of promoting the chemical DEET as the best defense against West Nile-bearing mosquitoes, the government for the first time is recommending the use of two other insect repellents.

Repellents containing the chemical picaridin or the oil of lemon eucalyptus offer "long-lasting protection against mosquito bites," the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said, adding that repellents with DEET remain on the agency's recommendation list.

"Since West Nile virus is present across the entire country at this point and it's here to stay, we constantly need to be vigilant," said Dr. Lyle Petersen, director of the CDC's division of vector-borne infectious diseases. "It gives consumers a better option to protect themselves."

Both products have been available elsewhere in the world, including Europe and Australia, since the 1980s. Repellent makers have been eager to introduce them to U.S. markets but it was hard to compete with DEET, the only chemical touted as effective by local, state and federal health officials.

Federal officials maintained for years that non-DEET repellents were not likely to offer the same degree of protection from mosquito bites. DEET has been the go-to chemical for health officials trying to control the spread of the West Nile virus in the United States.

However, recent studies prompted CDC officials to broaden the recommendations. The CDC says picaridin is "often comparable with DEET products of similar concentration" and oil of lemon eucalyptus provides protection time "similar to low-concentration DEET products in two recent studies."

Consumers tend to like picaridin repellents because they are more pleasant to the skin and don't have the odor that DEET repellents have. And oil of lemon eucalyptus is a natural ingredient, which appeals to those who don't like the thought of putting chemicals on their skin, said Angela Proctor, a product manager for the Cutter line of insect repellents by Spectrum Brands.

Nationwide, only about 40 percent of people use insect repellents. In Pacific coast states such as California -- the state with the highest number of cases (771 cases, 23 deaths) last year -- only 23 percent use insect repellent, said Emily Zielinski-Gutierrez of the CDC.

"That's a lot of people who are going out there unprotected," she said.

Users complained of DEET's odor or said it feels unpleasant on the skin. DEET repellents also have reportedly damaged plastics and fake fingernails. Other people have speculated it could cause brain damage, although the Environmental Protection Agency said the chemical won't cause harm if used properly.

"There's a certain segment of the population that no matter how safe you tell them DEET is, ... there's a hesitancy to use DEET," said Richard Falco, a Fordham University medical entomologist. "You can do so much to tell people what to use but if they're not using it you have to go to something else. I think this will have a positive impact on public health."

DEET was developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1946 and has been registered with the Environmental Protection Agency as an approved active ingredient since 1957.

Various levels of DEET appear in the popular Off! lines by S.C. Johnson & Son Inc., including Deep Woods and Skintastic. Other brands such as Repel and BugOff! have lately launched products without DEET.

Spectrum Brands introduced a picaridin-based repellent in January -- Cutter Advanced -- and it has been marketing a repellent with oil of lemon eucalyptus since 2002. The products provide four and six hours of protection, respectively, Proctor said.

The CDC said it still will promote other personal protection measures, such as wearing long-sleeved clothing while outside and disposing of containers of water that could be breeding grounds for the flying insects.

West Nile virus first arrived in 1999 in New York. Last year there were 2,470 cases and 88 deaths. The highest number of U.S. cases came in 2003, when 9,682 people were infected and 264 died.

6.5k · April 28, 2005

Nationwide, only about 40 percent of people use insect repellents. In Pacific coast states such as California -- the state with the highest number of cases (771 cases, 23 deaths) last year -- only 23 percent use insect repellent, said Emily Zielinski-Gutierrez of the CDC.

Then why does it seem like ALL of the bugs are following just me??!

5.3k · April 28, 2005

I'm stickin with DEET

2.6k · April 28, 2005

Me too, on the DEET. Smells a bit, but it works a treat.

I worry about the CDC. Once a fantastic public health/tropical disease organization, they've become rather politicized in the last couple of decades. I suppose once we got that public sewer idea worked out, and no more polio or smallpox cases left to fuss over, they got a little bored.

I still look forward to the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report though

38.2k · April 29, 2005

The smell of DEET means outdoors to me. I've been known to sniff it whilst sitting in my cube at work (no I'm not British, I just like the word "whilst").

Edited April 29, 2005 by briansnat

2.7k · April 29, 2005

Its snowing in CO and I think the skeeters have gone to Cancun for a few more months.

April 29, 2005

I grew up in Ohio and am accustomed to the idea of there being a solid haze of mosquitoes in the air in a concentration of one bug per square inch, from pretty much April through September. Then a year ago I moved from Cleveland to Seattle. I think last summer I saw two mosquitoes, total. I like the idea of not having to worry about the dadgum little things any more :laughing:

April 29, 2005

DEET! Tastes awful! (to me) Less Unfilling! (to bugs)

We went for a cache last weekend on the Palmetto Trail that goes up from a swamp to some 'almost mountains' called Palmetto Trails - High Hills. The men wore a bath of DEET, and my wife wore lemon eucalyptis repellent. I was the only one of us to be bitten by a mosquito even though they were so thick that we had to breath through our noses. I accidentally breathed about three of them through my mouth and they had a great time stuck in my windpipe.

-T of TandS

1.1k · April 29, 2005

If I remember right then you can only use picaridin on your clothing not directly on your skin. But I have oil of lemon eucalyptus and seen it used and it is great and I just love the citrus smell, LOL. No really oil of lemon eucalyptus is really great. Also oil of lemon eucalyptus is more kid freiendly as there is some concern with the use of DEET and kids. So I guess I'll start stocking up.

cheers

2.3k · April 29, 2005

Here is a link to my article on Mosquitos and Repellants from last year.

I will update it with new information and current recommendations in a future issue.

Doc-Dean

Health Editor

Today's Cacher Magazine

1.1k · April 29, 2005

Here is a link to my article on Mosquitos and Repellants from last year.

I will update it with new information and current recommendations in a future issue.

Doc-Dean

Health Editor

Today's Cacher Magazine

Wow the article you referanced is great.

cheers

April 29, 2005

They should bring back DDT.

24.7k · April 29, 2005

Dodging West Nile is like Dodging raindrops. You are going to get wet unless you stay indoors at all times.

It would probably be better if they lined up eveyone and just exposed them to it. Then they would know what to watch for and when to watch for it. The current method is more like blind chance. Maybe I've had it, maybe not. How would I know when to stop wondering?

2.3k · April 29, 2005

Dodging West Nile is like Dodging raindrops. You are going to get wet unless you stay indoors at all times.

It would probably be better if they lined up eveyone and just exposed them to it. Then they would know what to watch for and when to watch for it. The current method is more like blind chance. Maybe I've had it, maybe not. How would I know when to stop wondering?

A vaccine (actually several) are in the works now. Will be a few years before it will be available though...

9.2k · May 2, 2005

If I remember right then you can only use picaridin on your clothing not directly on your skin.

I don't think so. You're probably thinking of Permethrin.

9.2k · May 2, 2005

I may give this a try, simply because you can't (or shouldn't) combine DEET with PABA based sunscreens.

May 3, 2005

The oil seems much safer! Do you have to wash it off like the other repellent?

May 3, 2005

So far, science refutes this old wives tale, but it seems to work for me. They say that taking vitamin B supplements for 2 weeks prior to being out of doors will help hold the mosquitos at bay.

I've noticed this myself, more or less. Summers where I've not been eating very well, I get eaten. Summers where I've been eating well and taking vitamins now and then, I never get a bite, but the people around me do.

It's at least worth a try. And B vitamins are good for you anyway. :unsure:

Luna

2.2k · May 3, 2005

Aren't they cute? :unsure:

2.3k · May 3, 2005

Aren't they cute?

You have got waaaaaaaaay too much time on your hands!

2.2k · May 3, 2005

You have got waaaaaaaaay too much time on your hands!

Tell me aout it :huh: .

Mosquito Season Is Upon Us

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