As I mentioned, last week, CDC was worried about the high number of cases of West Nile Virus in July. Texas has had some of the highest number of cases. Dallas County, the most populous area of Texas has had 9 fatalities from West Nile already in 2012. Many of the non-fatal cases of West Nile have been severe. A health emergency has been declared and the Government agencies are going all out to reduce the mosquito vector population. This includes plans for the first aerial spraying of insecticide in 5 decades to kill adult mosquitoes.
Mosquito
Much of the battle against West Nile and other Vector borne diseases is done quietly with little fanfare or public notice. When big problems like this one arise, the public begins to understand the importance of mosquito control districts, government health experts and entomologists ready to act.
Update: A commenter mentions several products that deter mosquitoes in addition to DEET. From the CDC
CDC …. has identified several EPA registered products that provide repellent activity sufficient to help people avoid the bites of disease carrying mosquitoes. Products containing these active ingredients typically provide reasonably long-lasting protection:
DEET (Chemical Name: N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide or N,N-diethly-3-methyl-benzamide)
Picaridin (KBR 3023, Chemical Name: 2-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperidinecarboxylic acid 1-methylpropyl ester )
Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus* or PMD (Chemical Name: para-Menthane-3,8-diol) the synthesized version of oil of lemon eucalyptus
IR3535 (Chemical Name: 3-[N-Butyl-N-acetyl]-aminopropionic acid, ethyl ester)
If people prefer other products to DEET, by all means they should use one of the alternative effective products in West Nile areas. EPA registration does not guarantee efficacy. This is why agencies like CDC make recommendations.
Reminder: “Natural” does not mean a toxin is “safe”. There are plenty of dangerous “natural” chemicals (e.g. Deadly Nightshade). EPA “approval” means that a product is “safe” to use according to directions. Always follow directions when using any repellent product.
Dear blogger,
We are the creators of DETER (www.deter-usa.com) , a new insect repellent 100% natural and scientifically proven.
We understand you are a free and independent blogger, yet we wanted to let know a Californian mosquito named Joe has accepted to answer a few questions for your readers. We attached a copy of the interview in hope you and your readers would have fun reading it and would be happy to learn more about DETER.
If you have any comments or requests, we would be very happy to further interact with you.
Sincerely,
Olivier Roth, Marketing Coordinator
On behalf of Brad & Debi
Creators of Deter and funders of Deter, by Mariner Biomedical
“My name is Joe, I am a mosquito”
Hello Joe, thank you so much for accepting our interview. Could you tell our readers a bit more about yourself?
Certainly. I am a married, 85 days old, male mosquito living in San Francisco, California. I have 133,547 brothers and 243,435 sisters – I have to say I suffered a bit from the lack of attention from my parents when I was younger. My life expectancy is 150 days in total so I am looking forward to retiring in a couple of hours from now.
Fantastic! Why did you choose to live in California Joe?
My parents moved from Oregon to California because it’s warmer and the weather is nicer. California has always been a paradise for us. It is a very nice place. There have always been a lot of beautiful arms and legs here for my whole family and me.
What do you like above all?
I have never been a very picky mosquito. I like to eat golfers, kayakers, hikers and above all: children! I am also a fan of reckless travellers who forgot to bring an insect repellent in their backpacks.
Have you heard of Deter?
Bzzz… All mosquitoes in the country have heard about Deter! This is the worst news I have heard since your president has killed that fly in prime time. We see it more and more and we cannot bear it: It contains coconut oil to make your skin look even softer and better but the irony is we cannot get close for as long as 4 hours.
It is not the first insect repellent. What makes it so special?
It’s true: Deter is scientifically proven, and it’s trustworthy. Four 100% natural ingredients are making every mosquito’s life harder. I know it is also efficiently repulsive for all flying insects in my neighborhood. DETER even exists in travel size so that the travellers I like the most are simply un-bi-ta-ble! Bzzzz… And for the few who didn’t use Deter (thank God!) there is even an insect bite therapy to relieve the pain. If you don’t believe me, it’s all explained on http://www.deter-usa.com
Thank you for your time Joe. I think it’s time to wish you good luck, and fly safe!
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