mosquito repellent Zika

what attracts mosquitos to humans? first - detects CO2 plume from expirations from 150 feet away. they smell it larger the person, more CO2 emitted explains why mosquitos prefer adults to children, why they prefer larger people to small people and prefer pregnant second - they see you wear light clothing and they see movement, too thirdly- they detect heat, moisture, and lactic acid from your sweat glands.

attractions for mosquitos CO2 in breath visual larger people pregnant woman lactic acid (sweat)

mosquito magnets is there such a thing? Yes! genetics 85% how you smell your genetic makeup determines how you smell to a mosquito

CDC recommendation

Consumer Reports best products against Aedes mosquito Off! Deep Woods VIII 25% DEET lasts 8 hours Sawyer Picaridin lasts 8 hours 20% picaridin Ben’s 30% DEET tick and insect wilderness formula 7.5 hours picaridin is synthetic compound resembles pipeline which is found in the plants that are used to produce black pepper. widely used in Europe and Australia, available in US since 2005. don’t use 100% DEET use no more than 30% just as effective and not toxic CR says

Consumer Reports March 10, 2017 Winners Consumer Reports March 10, 2017

Consumer Reports recommends for Aedes aegypti Consumer Reports recommends DEET picaridin oil of lemon eucalyptus

jams the odor receptors on antennae N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide DEET DEET works by masking smell CO2 and lactic acid confuses the mosquito’s olfactory sense doesn’t kill mosquitos; just repels them jams the odor receptors on antennae

not recommended by Consumer Reports less than 7% DEET products less than 20% picaridin products natural plant oils, citronella, wrist bands, combo repellent/sunscreens, candles plant based and natural products not registered by EPA over 7 hour protection is the goal by Consumer Reports

products with DEET products wi some DEET products are Off, Cutter, Repel ,Coleman, the big names DEET banned in Europe products wi

is DEET safe for humans? controversial! Banned in Europe

Environmental Protection Agency DEET DEET in use since 1957 120 products in use by 30 different countries safety reviewed in 1998 safety reviewed in 2014 no harm to humans and environment In the US repellent must be registered with EPA tested for human safety and effectiveness ok for kids and pregnant women DEET banned in Europe effects on fresh water marine life

application follow directions use only exposed areas skin, not under clothes don’t spray on face

for 2 hours after sunrise for 2 hours before sunset

GMO modified mosquito oxitec approved by FDA for use in Florida in fighting Zika separate male from female based on size put a fluorescent marker on the strain for quality control self limiting gene inserted into the male (males don’t bite) multiply the engineered mosquitos giving a diet that has the antidote to the gene expression while they are multiplying in the lab release the engineered mosquitos mate with wild females female lays eggs 30,000 eggs which carry the self limiting gene and they die before reaching adulthood oxitec GMO modified mosquito

don’t need pesticides no spraying species specific for Aedes aegypti, not 3500 other species of mosquitos

not yet approved by FDA for Florida to use it voted down community said no Houston is considering using it