title: Efficacy of topical permethrin as repellent against Aedes aegypti's bites.
abstract: Mosquitoes are the most important vectors of infectious diseases and their bites are related to several adverse skin reactions. Permethrin impregnated clothes are an efficient strategy against arthropods' bites; however, its topical efficacy as a repellent has not been well established. We studied the response to permethrin lotion 5 percent and N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET) spray 50 percent applied to the unprotected forearms of 10 volunteers. Each arm was exposed to 20 female mosquitoes of Aedes aegypti. We performed 71 bilateral comparative measurements evaluating the timing for the first bites. The average times for the arm without the product, with permethrin 5 percent, and with DEET 50 percent were: 7.9 seconds, 336.2 seconds and 7512.1 seconds. The results showed a significant difference between repellency times between either product and unprotected controls. In addition, there was a significant difference in time to first bite between permethrin and DEET treated arms (p<0.01). Permethrin affords some repellent activity against Aedes aegypti bites in this experimental setting. However, permethrin's profile of repellency was significantly inferior to that of DEET.
authors: Department of Dermatology, São Paulo State University-Unesp, Botucatu, São Paulo State, Brazil. heliomiot@fmb.com.br
authors: Hélio Amante
authors: HA
authors: Miot
authors: Daniela Pinho
authors: DP
authors: Ferreira
authors: Fabiana Guandalini
authors: FG
authors: Mendes
authors: Flávia Roberta Hernandes
authors: FR
authors: Carrenho
authors: Isabela
authors: I
authors: de Oliveira Amui
authors: Carlos Augusto Sá
authors: CA
authors: Carneiro
authors: Newton Goulart
authors: NG
authors: Madeira
mesh_terms: D000330:Aedes; D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003671:DEET / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007299:Insect Bites and Stings / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007302:Insect Repellents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009032:Mosquito Control; D026023:Permethrin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011336:Probability; D012016:Reference Values; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D007302:Insect Repellents; D003671:DEET; D026023:Permethrin