Washington (ChattahBox) - Researchers have found that new bug repellents are more effective than even DEET in terms of controlling the bug population to fight the West Nile virus and other mosquito-borne diseases.
Research on the new bug repellents was led by Ulrich R. Bernier of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s mosquito and fly research unit in Gainesville, Florida.
They have discovered new bug repellents which are more effective than even DEET. These new repellents work for 40 to 50 days, compared to around 17 for DEET.
DEET was originally developed for military use in 1946, and proved to be unsafe for people, especially children and pregnant women, which turned many away from it.
More research is needed to see if these new bug repellents irritate the skin or cause any other safety problems to humans.
Within four or five years, these repellents could help fight not only West Nile, but also Lyme disease, fever, malaria, and dengue fever.
The study has been published in the May 26 issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
No comments:
Post a Comment