Repellent Active Ingredients

Although using any repellent is most important, choosing the right active ingredient for your individual needs can make repelling bugs a painless process. Consider the length of time you’ll be outside and the type of activity you’re planning. There are a variety of insect repellents available, ranging from the familiar DEET to newer ingredients like picaridin and oil of lemon eucalyptus.

• Deet has been used in the U.S. for more than 50 years and continues to be an effective option for consumers. DEET-based products are recommended for those who plan to spend longer periods of time outdoors in more heavily infested conditions.
• Picaridin (pronounced “pick-CARE-a-den”) became available in the U.S. in 2005. Clean, odorless and effective, this active ingredient provides the long-lasting, effective protection consumers have come to expect from DEET in a formula with a light, clean feel.
• Oil of lemon eucalyptus is the only plant-based active ingredient recommended by the CDC. Derived from oil obtained from the leaves of the Eucalyptus citriodora tree, this active ingredient repels mosquitoes and deer ticks for up to six hours.

Mosquito-Borne Illnesses

Not only are mosquitoes pesky, but they can also be dangerous. Mosquito-borne diseases affect millions of people each year worldwide, and they’re generally at their peak during the summer months.

• Zika virus outbreaks have been detected in Africa and southeast Asia for decades – but only in recent years have scientists detected transmission elsewhere. The virus causes mild, flu-like symptoms – like low-grade fever, rash, fatigue and muscle pain – that last about a week, but can cause a birth defect called microcephaly and other severe fetal brain defects.
• West Nile virus is the most commonly reported mosquito-borne disease in the United States. Although only one in five people who contract the virus develop symptoms such as fever, headache, body aches or vomiting, the virus can cause serious neurological illnesses that can be fatal, such as encephalitis or meningitis.
• Dengue fever is primarily thought to be a tropical disease, but occasional cases have been detected in southern states, including Texas and Florida, in recent years. As many as 400 million people are infected with dengue fever in the tropics and subtropics annually. Symptoms include high fever, severe headache behind the eyes, rash and muscle pain.
• Chikungunya virus was previously only found in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean, but the virus has been confirmed in several U.S. states in recent years among travelers to those regions. The painful chikungunya (pronounced chik-en-gun-ya) virus causes fever, joint pain and swelling, headache or rash.