http://cameronwebb.wordpress.com/2013/07/22/busting-the-five-myths-of-mosquito-repellents/

Busting five myths of mosquito repellents

After a record year of West Nile virus activity in 2012, North American health authorities are on alert as the peak season of mosquitoes approaches. As of 16 July 2013, a total of 23 cases of human disease, including three deaths, had already been reported by CDC.

In many regions across the US, local mosquito control districts engage a range of strategies to reduce mosquito-borne disease risk. These may include broad scale insecticide use or the release of “mosquito fish” into derelict backyard pools. However, the first line of defense against biting mosquitoes remains the use of topical insect repellents.

In North America, the CDC provide detailed information on mosquito repellents but there still seems to be confusion amongst many in the community looking for alternatives to “chemical repellents”. These repellents are often perceived to be unsafe. For an Australian perspective, I’ve put together some guidelines on mosquito repellent use that provide a few more details than typically found on the websites of local health authorities.

In my experience of trying to promote the use of “known to be effective” repellents, I still find that there are many misconceptions and misunderstanding of how these products should be used. Below are the five myths I most commonly experience when it comes to the use of mosquito repellents.
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more on link:

-a +e

http://medent.usyd.edu.au/RepellentGuidelines.pdf

Beating the bite of mosquito-borne disease

neomyrtus_ said:

http://medent.usyd.edu.au/RepellentGuidelines.pdf

Beating the bite of mosquito-borne disease

Homeopathic Insect Repellent

falls off chair

Reading through the link provided on that page:

“Through the Natural Health Products Directorate, Health Canada ensures that all Canadians have ready access to natural health products that are safe, effective and of high quality, while respecting freedom of choice and philosophical and cultural diversity.”

blink blink

Do we have such an enlightened government department in Australia?

We put some of these in the backyard pond. The mozzie wrigglers don’t stand a chance!

http://www.ausnativefish.com.au/Pacific_Blue-eye.htm

From the link:

http://www.skepticnorth.com/2012/06/homeopathic-insect-repellent-is-there-anything-the-natural-health-products-directorate-wont-approve/

homeopathic insulin — DIN-HM 80016480

I see dead people

:)

sibeen said:

From the link:

http://www.skepticnorth.com/2012/06/homeopathic-insect-repellent-is-there-anything-the-natural-health-products-directorate-wont-approve/

homeopathic insulin — DIN-HM 80016480

I see dead people

:)

Too true.

lasers

IIRC, there was a study done on natural repellants in Australia around the time of WW2. They found that the oil of Huon Pine was very effective. Methyl eugenol I think. The problem was that it caused skin irritation in a large proportion of the test subjects.

morrie said:

IIRC, there was a study done on natural repellants in Australia around the time of WW2. They found that the oil of Huon Pine was very effective. Methyl eugenol I think. The problem was that it caused skin irritation in a large proportion of the test subjects.

This is a common problem with many formulations.. Trouble is.. we can’t test it on animals if we want top shelf marketing?

There’s no mention of permethrin.

I’d like to see some serious studies of permethrin impregnated clothing.

I looked into it for WH&S and found some manufacturers were claiming that it would remain repellent for up to 100 washes. The best I’ve found in the literature was 5-20 washes.