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What is the best Mosquito Repellent for Humans ?
Mosquitoes are said to have been on
the surface of planet earth for 170 million years. They are
believed to have evolved in South America and then spread to the
continents in the north and later the tropics. It is an
interesting fact that it is the female species of mosquitoes
that drink blood while the males feed on nectar.
Mosquitoes are seen as a major health hazard in the world. Every
year, mosquitoes are said to spread disease like Malaria,
Dengue, and West Nile Virus to more than 69 million people. In
many places, mosquitoes are controlled through pesticides and
organic means of insect control, namely removal of stagnant
water and use of repellents.
General tips to keep mosquitoes away
Mosquitoes are attracted to dark clothes and foliage. So avoid
these.
Burning candles and fire give out more carbon dioxide and are
attractants to mosquitoes.
Fragrances, especially the floral and fruity ones in perfumes,
hair products and scented sunscreens may attract mosquitoes.
Mosquitoes are mostly attracted to the cool temperature.
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Mosquitoes have an affinity for
moisture. That is the reason they crowd around people who
perspire.
Do not allow water to collect inside the house and its
precincts. Stagnant water, for instance, the puddles and even
water in flowerpots make a good breeding place for mosquitoes.
Mosquito
Repellents
Mosquito repellents are substances which can be applied to skin,
clothing, or other surfaces to keep the mosquitoes away. The
common mosquito repellents are citronella oil, oil of lemon
eucalyptus and DEET, a chemical insect repellent. Electronic
devices are also available in the market, especially ultrasound
ones.
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The
different kinds of mosquito repellents are
Natural mosquito repellents
The natural mosquito repellents are mostly extracted from plant
oils. They are effective but they require frequent applications,
at least every two hours. Products with multiple repellents are
found to be better than those containing only one. This is
because the multiple repellents are found to be effective in
combating the different types of mosquitoes.
The common natural mosquito repellents
are those which contain one or more of these ingredients
Catnip oil
Citronella
Eucalyptus oil
Castor oil
Rosemary oil
Lemongrass oil
Peppermint oil
Clove oil
Cedar oil
Geranium oil
Oils from from Verbena, Pennyroyal, Lavender, Pine, Cajeput,
Cinnamon, Basil, Thyme, Allspice, Soybean, and Garlic
It is important to purchase good quality plant oils. Also
carefully follow the instructions while using the natural
repellents. Some may contain a high concentration of chemical
repellents. It is also seen that some people maybe sensitive to
certain plant oils.
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Chemical
and electronic mosquito repellents
The simplest of electronic repellents is the electric fan which
makes the mosquitoes keep away as they are averse to moving
breeze. DEET, a chemical repellent is seen to be effective when
smeared on the clothes or bed sheets you use to cover yourself.
It needs reapplications or the use of higher concentrations of
deet oil. However it should be used with care, as there are
health concerns over the excessive use of deet.
There are popular household methods like the use of Vitamin B,
particularly B1 thiamine, garlic and incense. Devices like
electronic mats, mosquito coils and mosquito repellent vapours,
all containing a form of the chemical, Allethrin are also
popular. Mosquito repellent candles containing citronella oil is
also found be effective to some extent. Newer ecofriendly
vaporizers and repellents from herbal formulations are becoming
popular because of their eco-friendly nature. |
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Other
repellents
A few lesser-known methods to control or
keep mosquitoes away are
Cultivation of plants like wormwood or sagewort, lemon balm, lemon
grass, lemon thyme and the mosquito plant (pelargonum). It is most
effective when the leaves are crushed and applied directly to the
skin.
Although not proved to be effective repellent methods, ultrasonic
devices, bats and bug zappers are used to repel and control
mosquitoes. Some ultrasonic devices available in the market turn out
to be fake. So also, care should be taken if bats are used to catch
mosquitoes, as they are carriers of rabies. Bug zappers are not very
effective in controlling large mosquito population and they also
pose the additional problem of killing useful insects.
Mosquito traps which emit carbon dioxide and other mosquito
attractants like sugary scents, lactic acid, octenol, warmth, water
vapour, and sounds are becoming increasingly popular. They attract
the mosquitoes towards the trap and then they are sucked into a net
or holder. However the effectiveness of this trap depends on the
size and species of the mosquito and also the location and kind of
breeding habitat.
Research and Clinical studies on
mosquito repellents
The consumers are flooded with mosquito repellent products-
chemical, botanical and the alternative ones. Researchers and
scientists have been trying to determine which are effective for
use.
For further reading on this ongoing study published by the
Bandolier Journal, August 2006 which took 15 repellents for clinical
study, click on
http://www.jr2.ox.ac.uk/bandolier/band150/b150-6.html
In Comparative Efficacy of Insect Repellents against Mosquito
bites published in The new England Journal of Medicine, July 2002,
Mark Fragin and John Day have tried to determine which products
available in the United States provide complete protection from
mosquito bites.
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/347/1/13?ck=nck
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Article Contributed By: Sabina
Zacharias
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