Choosing and Using Insect Repellents

Insect repellents can help reduce your risk of getting a disease carried by mosquitoes or ticks. Numerous products are available to repel mosquitoes and ticks. Sometimes, it can be difficult to decide which product to use when you are planning to be outdoors. The following resources provide information useful when deciding on insect repellents.

Choosing an Insect Repellent:

• Active Ingredients Found in Insect Repellents - EPA

Using Insect Repellents:

• How to use Insect Repellents Safely - EPA
• Insect Repellent Use and Safety - CDC
• Protection Against Mosquitoes and Other Arthropod Vectors - CDC, Traveler's Health Page
• Safety Tips on Using Personal Insect Repellents - Health Canada
• Health Advisory: Tick and Insect Repellents - New York State Department of Health

Comparing Efficacy of DEET and Other Insect Repellents

• Comparative Efficacy of Insect Repellents against Mosquito Bites. New England Journal of Medicine, 4 July 2002. 347(1):13-18.
• Insect Repellent Use and Safety - Contains Summaries of NEJM 347(1):13-18 Comparative Efficacy Study - CDC
• Updated Information regarding Mosquito Repellents April 22, 2005 - CDC
• DEET Alternatives Considered to be Effective Mosquito Repellents - American Academy of Pediatrics
• Field Evaluation of Repellent Formulations Containing DEET and Picaridin Against Mosquitoes in Northern Territory, Australia (pdf). J Med Entomol 2004. 41(3):414-417.
• Mosquitoes and Mosquito Repellents: A Clinician's Guide. Annals of Internal Medicine, 1 June 1998. 128:931-940.
• Mosquito Repellents (pdf) - University of Florida Extension
• Repellent Wars (pdf) - University of Florida Extension
• What's the Scoop on Insect Repellents? - University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension

DEET Use and Safety Information

Children and Pregnant/Nursing Women

• Follow Safety Precautions When Using DEET on Children - American Academy of Pediatrics
• West Nile Virus, Pregnancy and Breast-feeding - CDC
• DEET and Pregnancy (pdf)  - Organization of Teratology Information Service (OTIS)
• Exposure of Children to DEET and Other Topically Applied Insect Repellents. Am J Ind Med 2005. 47: 91-97.
• DEET-based insect repellents: Safety implications for children and pregnant and lactating women. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 5 Aug 2003. 169(3).
• Safety of the Insect Repellent DEET in Pregnancy. Am J Trop Med Hyg, 2001. 65(4):285-289.

Safety - Other

• Insect Repellant Interactions: Sunscreens Enhanced DEET Absorption. DMD 32:783-785, 2004.

DEET Toxicology Information

• DEET General Fact Sheet (pdf) - NPIC
• DEET Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED) - EPA
• DEET RED Fact Sheet - EPA
• West Nile Virus Mosquito Repellent: DEET - New York City Department of Health

Other Insect Repellents Toxicology

• Picaridin (pdf) - EPA Pesticide Fact Sheet
• Icaridin (Picaridin) (pdf) - WHO Specifications and Evaluations for Public Health Pesticides
• p-Menthane-3,8-diol (011550) Fact Sheet - EPA