Insect Repellents

• Bayrepel® - Research Turns into Brands: An explanation of the qualities and safe usage of the newly marketed class of repellent chemicals named piperidines, from the pharmaceutical company Bayer. (http://www.autan.com/en/marke-e.html#bayrepel)
• Chemical Insect Repellents: Several quite similar fact sheets on proper use of DEET and other insect repellents are available from NYS and local heath units, including these two on the web: What can you do to Reduce your Risk of Mosquito Bites and how to apply DEET Repellent from Westchester County, NY (http://www.westchestergov.com/health/WNVReduceBite71700.htm)
• Consumer Reports, June 2000 ("Buzz Off," pp. 14-17), compares efficacy of several insect repellents. Subscribers of Consumer Reports Online can access the article at http://www.consumerreports.org.

  Abstract: Though mosquitoes and ticks have long been considered summertime nuisances, the prominence of West Nile and Lyme disease in public consciousness has increased demand for insect repellents. The average consumer, however, has little knowledge of how repellents work, how effective they are, and if any safety hazards are associated with the repellant. The article concludes that repellants using high percentages of the chemical DEET (such as Amway HourGaurd12 and Off! Deep Woods) are the most effective repellents for long periods of time. Additionally, the article looks at the health concerns surrounding DEET and the viability of repellant for clothing.

• Mosquitoes and Mosquito Repellents: A Clinician's Guide. Fradin, Mark S. 1998. (For detailed reference, see the "West Nile Virus Bibliography of Scientific Literature"). (http://www.acponline.org/journals/annals/01jun98/mosquito.htm).
• Public Health Entomology Research and Education Center (PHEREC). John Smith, Tom Floore and Jack Petersen. PHEREC Insect Repellent Study. PHEREC News. June 15, 2000. 1(2).
  Research results are featured in the August 2000 issue of Good Housekeeping.
  http://pherec.org/PHERECNews/Vol1No2/page2.html
• Tick and Insect Repellents: Deciding on Their Use. 2001. New York State Department of Health, Fight the Bite.
  
  This brochure is available in pdf form in long and short versions. The short version provides information about DEET, permethrin, and botanical repellents, on children, pregnant women, and repellents, and offers some considerations on pesticides. The long version expands on these topics and also gives recommendations for proper use of DEET products.
• Using Insect and Tick Repellents Safely. 2001. Penn State University, College of Agricultural Sciences, Agricultural Research and Cooperative Extension [112 K PDF].

  Description: This 4-page information sheet gives information on diseases transmitted by arthropods, tips on avoiding contact with mosquitoes and ticks, information and tips on using DEET, alternatives to DEET, information on reading an insect repellent labels, and more.

• Variation in the Protection Periods of Repellents on Individual Human Subjects: An Analytical Review. 1999. Rutledge, L.C . and R.K. Gupta. Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association 15 (3): 348-55.

Pesticides More Generally

• BCERF Bibliography on Pyrethroids and Permethrins. Breast Cancer and Environmental Risk Factors Program (BCERF), Cornell University Center for the Environment. http://www.cfe.cornell.edu/bcerf/Bibliography/Pesticide/bib.pyrethroid.cfm.
• Beekeepers: Information on Risk to Bees from Pesticides Used for West Nile Virus Control. May 2001. Nicholas Calderone, Cornell University
  http://environmentalrisk.cornell.edu/WNV/WNVEducDocs/Bees&Pesticides-Calderone.html [PDF]
• The EXtension TOXicology NETwork (EXTOXNET) is a cooperative effort of several land-grant universities to provide searchable, web-based information about pesticides and toxicology topics for the non-expert (http://ace.orst.edu//info/extoxnet/index.html).
• Environmental Laws, Rules and Regulations Relating to Mosquito Control in New York State--Pesticide Use, Habitat Modification, Fish Stocking and Wildlife Collection. (Spring 2000 Draft) New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. 56 pp.
  http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dshm/pesticid/manual.pdf

  Web Introduction:This document identifies New York State's key environmental laws, rules, regulations, policies and procedures relating to mosquito surveillance and control activities involving pesticide use (larvicides, pupicides, and adulticides); habitat modification [i.e., Open Marsh Water Management (OMWM) activities]; fish stocking [i.e., Gambusia affinis (Mosquito Fish)], and the collection, handling and transport of wildlife (in connection with bird and mammal surveillance activities). This information was prepared in anticipation of the need to respond to an increase in mosquito surveillance and control activities in connection with the unprecedented introduction of West Nile virus into New York State during the late summer of 1999. However, this information is not limited to vector control activities, and relates to the conduct of mosquito control activities performed under any circumstances. The growing threat of the emergence of other mosquito-borne diseases underscores the need for a document such as this.

  This information pertains to any individual or party engaging in the activities identified in this guide. For example, the information relating to pesticide use is as relevant to the independent commercial pesticide applicator performing nuisance mosquito control at a single residential property as it is for the municipality planning large-scale vector control activities that involve community-wide, county-wide, or city-wide operations associated with the threat of arboviral disease transmission.

  Since the West Nile virus was discovered in the downstate area in the late summer of 1999, considerable attention has focused on pesticide-related activities that target control of the vector - the larval and adult stages of mosquitoes, primarily Culex pipiens pipiens Linnaeus, the Northern Household Mosquito. Referring to this document when considering mosquito surveillance and control activities will provide the reader with information needed to comply with the environmental laws, rules and regulations of New York State. By adhering to the requirements set forth in this manual, those engaged in mosquito surveillance and control activities to combat West Nile virus will be protective of human health and the environment, and will be in compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations.

• Human Health and Environmental Relative Risks of WNV Mosquito Control Products. Lebelle Hicks, Ph.D. DABT, Maine Board of Pesticides Control. May 4, 2001.

  Excerpts from the Executive Summary: "The objective of this document is to provide the risk managers with the most current information regarding the human health and environmental risks from mosquito insecticides, both for adult and larval mosquitoes.... In this report, two types of information are presented. First, mosquito products are evaluated for absolute risks by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).... Second, the Board of Pesticides Control (BPC) made the assumption that EPA's process covered absolute risks and that the endpoint of ending concern is the risk of one product relative to other products used in a similar manner. Because of this, a relative risk approach was taken, and the use rate in mg/Acre was used as a surrogate for exposure. This information is summarized in the text and detailed information provided in the appendices.... This is an assessment of the active ingredients of five adulticide products (used on adult mosquitoes) and five larvicide products (used on immature life stages of mosquitoes) identified on EPA's Mosquito Control Fact Sheets (68)...this review covers the ones with public health and municipal sites on the label (Appendix II)."

• Managing for West Nile Virus Infection in the USA. 2002. WILDPro. Wildlife Information Network: London. (http://www.wildlifeinformation.org)

  The WILDPro module is available on-line and as a CD-ROM (PC - Internet explorer).
  Preview: http://www.wildlifeinformation.org/PREVIEW_WILDPro.htm.
  See our Bibliography of Scientific Literature for more information

• Meeting the Challenge of West Nile Virus without Poisons. Deanna McKinney. Winter 2002. Journal of Pesticide Reform 22(4). Provides a good overview of the West Nile virus along with a table of mosquito pesticides (both Adulticides and Larvicides), their selectivity, and their health & environmental hazards (http://www.pesticide.org/westnilevirus.pdf).
• New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Pesticide Management Program. This website is the portal for DEC's pesticides information, including information on materials specific to the pesticides registered for use in NYS mosquito control (http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dshm/pesticid/pesticid.htm).
• New York State Department of Health provides several information sheets and other educational materials on pesticides.
  • Anvil and Mosquito Control Information Sheet
  • Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers: Information Related to Insecticide Use For Preventing the Spread of West Nile Virus [160KB PDF] or html
  • Malathion and Mosquito Control Information Sheet
  • Scourge and Mosquito Control Information Sheet
  • West Nile Virus Information for Outdoor Workers
• Pesticides and Birds Campaign- American Bird Conservation provides educational material for laypersons about non-target impacts of pesticides on birds, and measures that can be taken to reduce these risks.
  http://www.abcbirds.org/pesticides/pesticideindex.htm

  The American Bird Conservation is also involved in the effort to ban fenthion, a pesticide used against mosquitoes in Florida. Fenthion is highly toxic to birds and many other animals, and is responsible for numerous bird deaths. For more information about fenthion, see this article, or visit http://www.banfenthion.org.

• Recognition and Management of Pest Management of Pesticide Poisonings. March 1999. J. Routt Reigart, MD and James R. Roberts, MD, M.P.H. Fifth Edition. US EPA Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances. EPA 735-R-98-003. Print copies: 703-305-7666, electronic copy: (http://www.epa.gov/oppfead1/safety/healthcare/handbook/handbook.htm).
• Toxicology Data Network of the National Library of Medicine provides access to several searchable datasets of non-target impacts of pesticides (http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/).
• US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) searchable website (http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/) with information on all pesticides registered for use in the United States. An alphabetical listing of the Biopesticide active ingredients regulated by the Office of Pesticide Programs and more information on biopesticides can be found at http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/biopesticides/.

  Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) : A new webpage was added to the EPA pesticides website in late October 2000, providing information needed to make FOIA requests for government records and information on pesticides: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/foia.

  National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC): A cooperative effort of Oregon State University and the US EPA. Educational fact sheets for commonly asked questions about pesticides and related topics can found at http://npic.orst.edu/npicfact.htm.

  US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) factsheets and documents about pesticides used in mosquito control. Access from the "Pesticides and Mosquito Control" Table of Contents: (http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/skeeters.htm)

  • "Using Insect Repellent Safely" (html)
  • "Questions and Answers: Pesticides and Mosquito Control" (20 Kb pdf)
  • "For Your Information: Larvicides for Mosquito Control" (37 Kb pdf)
  • "Questions and Answers: Malathion for Mosquito Control" (19Kb pdf)
  • "For Your Information: Naled for Mosquito Control" (19Kb pdf)
  • "For Your Information: Synthetic Pyrethroids for Mosquito Control" (36 Kb pdf)
  • "Questions and Answers: Malathion Preliminary Risk Assessment" (19Kb pdf)
  • "Organophosphate Pesticides: Documents for Malathion"

Materials from Environmental Advocacy Groups

• What You Should Know about West Nile Encephalitis! 4 page factsheet prepared by Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Port CAP, and Town of North Hempstead Ecological Commission. Undated. (pdf)
• Towards Safer Mosquito Control in New York. January 2000. Environmental Advocates, New York Public Interest Research Group, NY Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides. 7 pp. ( http://www.eany.org/reports/mosquito/mosquito.html ) (or in pdf format)

  Introduction: Last fall, the dual crises of West Nile encephalitis and widespread pesticide spraying highlighted significant gaps in the preventative public health infrastructure of many, if not all, of the affected municipalities in the New York City region. During this winter hiatus, while state and county budgets are being negotiated, it is time to step back and fully evaluate the events of the fall in order to plan effectively and avoid repeating them.

• Beyond Pesticides, National Coalition Against the Misuse of Pesticides. This website is updated daily with news stories concerning pesticides, many of which are WNV-related. http://www.beyondpesticides.org/
• Comments on the Draft Scope of NYCDOH Analysis Document, June 22, 2000. Citizen's Action Committee for Change. Text
• SPRAYNO email discussion group was founded July 17, 2000 as a means for "exchanging information regarding environmental issues in the northern suburbs and NY metro area, focusing especially on encouraging activism in this area and educating the public about toxic effects of pesticide/herbicide usage." Subscription information: http://www.egroups.com/group/sprayno.
• Analysis on Pesticide Use in Handling West Nile Virus May 2001. Prepared by the Maine Environmental Policy Institute. http://www.meepi.org/wnv/wnv.htm.
• Current Campaigns: Reducing Pesticide Use for Mosquito Control/West Nile Virus. The Citizens Campaign for the Environment is currently campaigning to reduce the use of chemical pesticides for mosquito control. This website includes information on WNV, legislation on which CCE is presently working, and tips for mosquito reduction around the home.http://www.citizenscampaign.org/campaigns/reducepesticides.htm.

ERAP's West Nile Virus education program has been supported by Smith-Lever funds from the USDA Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES), through a grant from Cornell Cooperative Extension, and by a grant from the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration's Office of Global Programs (NOAA-OGP) for the project "Climate Effects, West Nile Virus Vector Development, and Transmission Risk" (Sept 1, 2004-Aug 31, 2007).