Chapter 1 A Review of Arthropod Repellents

摘要

Arthropod bites can potentially result in the transmission of numerous infectious diseases and remain a leading cause of human morbidity and mortality worldwide. The most effective means of preventing arthropod bites is achieved through the use and practice of personal protective measures, including the use of repellents. Repellents are typically applied to exposed skin but they can also be applied to clothing or other surfaces to discourage arthropods from landing or climbing onto treated surfaces. In this chapter we review the history of repellents, how we attract biting arthropods, and provide some detail on how repellents work. Information is provided on the effectiveness of four common synthetic compounds including: Deet, permethrin, picaridin, and IR.3535. In addition, efficacy of naturally derived repellents such as: citronella, lemon eucalyptus oil, BioUD and other all natural compounds are discussed. Finally, current research on novel all natural compounds are reported.