Consumer Reports tests repellents for warding off Zika virus

Group finds most 'natural' insect repellents don't last

MIAMI ā€“ The ZikaĀ virus outbreak continues to dominate the news. With no vaccine for the virus and no drug to treatĀ infections, it has become clear that avoiding mosquito bites is essential.

Consumer Reports tested 16 insect repellents for their effectiveness at repelling bites from the Aedes mosquitoes that can carry the Zika and Chikungunya viruses, and the Culex mosquitoes, known to spread West Nile virus. The lab also tested the repellents against deer ticks, which can carry Lyme and other diseases.

Some of the repellents are labeled ā€œnaturalā€ and contain plant-based oils. But Consumer Reports found they were not very effective. Five out of the six that were tested lasted only an hour and a half or even less against the Aedes mosquito, the one that carries the Zika virus.

In response to Consumer Reportsā€™ concerns about natural insect repellents, a trade group, the NaturalĀ Products Association, says thatĀ some plant oils do work, and some people want alternatives to DEET.

The only ā€œnaturalā€ repellent that did a good job was Repel 30% Lemon Eucalyptus. It was able to ward off Aedes mosquitoes for 7 hours. (It should not be used on children under 3 years old.)

Other repellents that did well in Consumer Reports tests were Sawyer 20% Picaridin and Benā€™s 30% Deet Tick and Insect Wilderness Formula.

When used properly, Consumer Reports says they are safe for children and all are safe for women who are pregnant or breast-feeding.


About the Author:

Marilyn Moritz is an award-winning journalist dedicated to digging up information that can make peopleā€™s lives a little bit better. As KSATā€™S 12 On Your Side Consumer reporter, she focuses on exposing scams and dangerous products and helping people save money.