Insect Protection

Short of falling off a cliff or being eaten by a bear, mosquitoes and other biting insects have done more to ruin a wilderness experience than anything else known to man or woman. But mosquitoes and other blood-feeding insects are more than a minor annoyance. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), diseases transmitted by mosquitoes, ticks, biting flies, fleas, gnats, no-see-ums, and other biting insects are becoming or growing into major public health problems. Mosquitoes can carry such serious diseases as Encephalitis, Yellow Fever, Malaria, and Dengue Fever. What’s more, incidences of Rocky Mountain Fever and Lyme Disease are rising dramatically. One only has to look to the summer of 1999 where Encephalitis cases caused by mosquitoes were found in New York!

What can be done to protect yourself and your family against these harmful, dangerous diseases? Here are a few tips:

• Use an EPA-registered insect repellent, such as Repel, that contains DEET.
  
• Carefully read and follow all label directions for safe application.
  
• Dress in light-colored clothing to spot ticks more easily. Wear collared long-sleeved shirts and long pants with cuffs for maximum protection. Tuck your shirt into your pants and pants into your socks or boots.
  
• Dress in loose clothing to help prevent bites from bugs that can reach their biting apparatus through tight clothing.
  
• Look for ticks several times during the day or before you return indoors. Check especially around the scalp, nape of the neck, behind the ears and knees, and under the armpits.
  
• Remove ticks completely with tweezers or tick remover. Grasp the tick close to the skin, as close as possible to the tick’s mouth and pull outward without twisting until the mouthpart is released. Avoid the tick’s bloated abdomen, which can act like a syringe if squeezed.
  
• Don’t use heat or suffocation methods. Petroleum jelly, nail polish, rubbing alcohol, cigarettes, or lighted matches will only serve to sicken the tick and may increase the chance of a host tick injecting you with dangerous bacteria.
  
• If bitten by an insect or tick, treat the area with a bite relief formula such as Sting Eze for relief of pain, itching, and swelling. It symptoms persist, consult a physician.
  
• Some insects, especially mosquitoes, feed primarily at dawn and dusk, and sometimes throughout the night. To sleep more comfortably, use a tent with adequate insect netting or sleep under a mosquito net.
  
  

Selecting a Product
Why all these choices? Products ranging in DEET formulations? Aerosols, pump sprays, gels, and lotions? When it comes to insect protection, one size does not fit all. You should use a product with the appropriate level of protection for the activity and location. Follow these general guidelines when selecting an insect repellent:

• Aerosols and pump sprays are convenient and generally preferred for treating clothing as well as for skin applications. These types of containers allow for a quick, even application.
  
• Lotions and gels offer more precise skin applications and may be more appropriate for smaller uses.
  
• Lower-concentration DEET products, such as Repel Family Formulas, are appropriate for most situations where exposure to insects is minimal or for shorter times.
  
• Higher-concentration DEET products, such as Repel 100, should be used in areas of high infestation or if you are going to be outdoors over an extended time where reapplication may be inconvenient or impractical.
  
• Some species of ticks and insects, such as black flies, are more difficult to repel and may require a higher concentration product, such as Repel Sportsman, for effectiveness.
  

Proper Application
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, as well as the makers of Repel, recommend the following guidelines when using insect repellents:

• o Always follow the label directions carefully.
  o Apply only to exposed skin and/or clothing as directed on the product label. Do not use under clothing.
  o Never use repellents over cuts, wounds, or irritated skin.
  o Do not apply to eyes and mouth.
  o Do not apply to the hands of young children who are prone to putting hands in their mouth. Also, use a lower DEET concentration product on children such as Repel Scented Gel or Repel Unscented Lotion.
  o Use just enough repellent to cover exposed skin and/or clothing. Saturation is unnecessary for effectiveness.
  o After returning indoors, wash treated skin with soap and water.
  o Always keep insect repellents out of reach of small children.
  

DEET Facts
What about DEET? Is it detrimental to your health? Are there any long-term side effects from using DEET products? There have been many questions regarding DEET, and over the years, numerous health-effect studies including short-term, longer-term, and human exposure, have been conducted. The results show that there are no unreasonable adverse effects to people or the environment with the normal use of DEET products.

Reported reactions to DEET products are generally limited to eye irritation from inadvertent exposure to the eyes and infrequent skin reaction from sensitive individuals. Out of the literally millions of uses of DEET repellents, only a handful of individuals have reported more adverse reactions.

In fact, a five year compilation of data from the American Association of Poison Control Centers showed that:

• There are very few incidents involving DEET products. Out of the millions of uses of DEET products, only .16 of one percent of the calls made to the Poison Control Centers during this period concerned DEET products. Of these, the majority were inconsequential.
  
• There was no correlation between the number or severity of incidents and the concentration of DEET in products. This is a significant finding because higher concentration products offer additional benefits in some situations.
  

All in all, you can rest assured that DEET repellents can be used confidently by following label instructions. You can also feel confident that, as the makers of Repel, we continue to monitor and test our DEET products so that your family will feel safe using them.

Permethrin as a Repellent
What is permethrin? And how does it repel ticks and mosquitoes? Permethrin is a synthetic version of a naturally occurring organic insecticide, pyrethrum found in chrysanthemum flowers. Permethrin is technically not a repellent but actually kills insects such as mosquitoes, ticks, and chiggers it comes in contact with. Odorless and colorless, permethrin was developed to be used on clothing, tents, mosquito nets, and other camping gear.

Permethrin, as found in Repel Permanone, actually binds to the fabric being treated, providing residual protection which lasts a minimum of two weeks. For overnight camping trips or extended expeditions, the use of permethrin-treated nets and clothing, in conjunction with a good insect repellent, makes a perfect combination for an enjoyable, bug-free trip!

Some basic guidelines when using a permethrin-based product such as Permanone, in the 6-ounce aerosol can, include:

• Select a well-ventilated outdoor area protected from wind, and lay out the clothing to be treated (as a complete outfit: shirt, trousers, socks).
  
• Hold can upright approximately six to eight inches from surface of the articles, and spray with a sweeping motion to lightly moisten the surface of the fabric.
  
• When the surface of the fabric is moist enough to cause a slight color change or darkening, turn fabric over and treat other side as described above.
• Hang treated clothing, and allow to dry for at least two hours before wearing.
  
• Treated fabrics and materials remain effective for a minimum of two weeks.
  
• Treated fabrics will hold up through several washings before needing to have permethrin reapplied.
  
• Products containing permethrin should be used on clothing or camping gear only. Avoid skin contact and always follow label directions carefully.
  

Insect-free Sleep Nets
Getting a good night’s sleep can be a traveler’s greatest challenge. Tents, huts, and third-world hotels often provide inadequate barriers against disease-bearing insects. Suspended mosquito nets and free-standing sleep screens offer a good night’s sleep and protection from annoyance or possible infection by bloodthirsty gnats and mosquitoes.

Some things to look for when purchasing a netting system:

• Mesh netting materials must be woven tight enough to keep out smaller insects such as ticks.
  
• In warmer climates, systems such as the Repel TropicScreen, may be more appropriate to keep adequate air flow.
  
• Look for mildew-resistant fibers especially if it is to be used outdoors.
  
• Make sure nets are manufactured in accordance with standard fire-retardant requirements.