Mosquito repellent clothing can be effective but also toxic.
Mosquitoes can pose a significant health threat in many parts of the world. Mosquito borne illnesses affect millions of people every year and can be deadly. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, malaria, a mosquito-borne disease, killed over a million people worldwide in 2009. Mosquito resistant clothing treatments can be effective for preventing mosquito bites, but they are also powerful toxins that can present significant health dangers to humans.
Pre-Treated Clothing
Manufacturers worldwide offer outdoor clothing pre-treated with permethrin, a pesticide and mosquito repellent. The Environmental Protection Agency has approved permethrin for use as a clothing treatment, according to the website Insect Shield, and it is effective through 70 or more launderings.
Permethrin History
According to the CDC, permethrin is a man-made compound developed from a natural insect repellent found in the chrysanthemum plant. It has no odor and has been used for decades in lice shampoos and flea treatments for animals.
Effectiveness
"Permethrin is highly effective as an insecticide and as a repellent," the CDC asserts on its website in answer to a frequently asked question, adding: "Permethrin-treated clothing repels and kills ticks, mosquitoes, and other arthropods."
Permethrin is the product of choice of the American military for the treatment of fatigues, tents and other camping gear. It is also used to treat mosquito netting in many malaria-plagued nations, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.
Dangers
Permethrin is a dangerous pesticide and can cause neurologic problems. It should be used with extreme care and should not be used around children. According to the Armed Forces Pest Management Board, permethrin is a corrosive that can cause irreversible eye damage and can irritate skin.
Deet
Deet remains the standard worldwide and is included in many repellent brands available for commercial purchase. Deet is also commonly used to treat clothing, though it is less effective than permethrin treatments. According to the Annals of Internal Medicine, Deet has been used by millions of people for the past 40 years and has a reasonably good safety profile. However, in children younger than 8 there have been some cases of Deet toxicity, prompting the Deet-free campaign of the 1990s.
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