Mosquito Repellent Guidance & Telebriefing - New from CDC

At NOON TODAY CDC will host a media telebriefing and issue a guidance
re: MOSQUITO REPELLENTS.
The Guidance is on the web at
<http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/RepellentUpdates.htm>

WHO:   Dr. Lyle Petersen, director, CDC Division of Vector-borne
Infectious Diseases
Dr. Emily Zielinski-Gutierrez, behavioral scientist, CDC Division of
Vector-borne Infectious Diseases

WHAT:   CDC Adopts New Repellent Guidelines for Upcoming Mosquito
Season.
Brief remarks followed by Q/A. 

WHEN:  Thursday, April 28, 2005--12 PM, ET  

CALL-IN:      888-795-0855 Passcode: CDC Media
Important Instructions: If you would like to ask a question during the
call press *1 on your touchtone phone. To withdraw your question, press
*2. You may queue up at anytime. You will hear a tone to indicate your
question is pending.

LISTEN-ONLY AUDIO WEBCAST
This briefing will also be audio webcast. To listen LIVE online:
http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media  

TRANSCRIPT: A full transcript of this teleconference will be available
following the briefing at the CDC web site at www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media.

-----------------------
ANNOUNCEMENT OF TELEBRIEFING

Dear colleagues,

Mosquito season is coming, if not all already here, and with it West
Nile
virus.  As you know, mosquito repellents are an important tool that
protect people from mosquito bites and tomorrow CDC will Americans have
more options than ever to use in protecting themselves from mosquito
bites.

Updated CDC repellent guidance will include addition of two active
ingredients – picaridin and oil of lemon eucalyptus – which have been
shown to offer long-lasting protection against mosquito bites.
Repellents
containing DEET continue to be a great repellent option and are
included
in the CDC guidelines.   DEET, picaridin and oil of lemon eucalyptus
are
all registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which
regulates these products.

Picaridin, also known as KBR 3023, is an active ingredient that has
been
available is Europe, Australia, Latin America and Asia for some time.
Evidence indicates that it works very well, often comparable with DEET
products of similar concentration. One product, containing 7 percent
picaridin, is being distributed in the United States for the first time
this year. Oil of lemon eucalyptus (also known as p-menthane 3,8-diol
or
PMD) is a plant-based repellent that gave protection time similar to
low
concentration DEET products in two recent studies. It is available in a
variety of formulations throughout the United States.

Attached please find the updated guidance which will be live on the CDC
web at www.cdc.goc/westnile tomorrow morning.  We will issue a press
release and host a media telebriefing at NOON ET to provide an
opportunity
for Q-A with reporters.  The media alert is attached. Please feel free
to
share with local reporters.

---
Information about the Guidance forwarded by:
P. Bryon Backenson
Research Scientist and Assistant Director
Arthropod-Borne Disease Program
New York State Department of Health
ESP, Corning Tower Room 632
Albany, NY  12237
phone:  518-474-4568
fax:  518-473-1708
e-mail:  bpb01@health.state.ny.us
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