Tick experts at the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offer advice on preventing bites, tick removal and repellents as predictions for the worst tick season ever in many parts of the country mount.
The Journal of Travel Medicine recently published an article on insect bite avoidance that calls repellents a “key strategy,” noting that DEET is “the gold standard” and “the best broad spectrum repellent available.
A French study examining the effects of DEET on the nervous system of insects has little relevance for the repellent ingredient's effects on humans, according to independent scientific experts. "The experiments that were conducted were mainly done on insects or on individual cells in test tubes, and generally not under conditions that accurately reflect how DEET is used as an insect repellent in the real world," said Daniel Sudakin, M.D., M.P.H., with the U.S. National Pesticide Information Center, in a BBC News story.
West Nile virus is present in almost every corner of our country and this is peak season. CDC and state and local health experts recommend using EPA-registered insect repellents to help protect against West Nile virus. The most popular of these repellents is DEET. Despite its popularity, or perhaps because if it, many myths persist about DEET.
Americans are increasingly developing Lyme and other tick-borne diseases due to changing ecosystems and development in the countryside. Most tick-borne infections occur during May, June and July. Experts urge consumers to use measures to prevent tick bites, including include tick checks.
Moms queried in a national survey say they're not worried about cold and flu season. Nearly 25 percent of them won't take any action if their children become ill. Dennis A. Clements, M.D., chief medical officer at Duke University Children's Hospital, comments on the findings.
West Nile case counts have risen significantly. This year officials report 1,000 plus WNV cases. Illinois reported 56 new WNV cases last week. California has the most (521). CDC says WNV peaks in August and September. Wet weather has raised concern in many areas. Preventative steps include using insect repellents, particularly those with DEET.
Experts say West Nile, a mosquito-borne disease, will spread this summer, with serious outbreaks possible in many states. Lyme disease, which is tick-borne, is predicted to hit record levels. To prevent bites from mosquitoes and ticks, the CDC and others recommend DEET-based repellents.
New data shows 1 in 5 children have abused one or more of 1,400 common household products to get high, including spray paint and air fresheners, by eighth grade. Abusing inhalants can be addictive, with health consequences including brain, liver and kidney damage and even death.
As summer approaches and experts predict a further spread of West Nile, federal officials are recommending DEET-based repellents and the national organization for pediatricians has issued new guidelines to help protect families from insect-borne disease.
In careful controlled independent tests using mosquitoes and human subjects, repellents containing DEET provided complete protection from bites for the longest duration.
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