A new danger in the Mountains? (Tick borne disease)

[summitseeker]

You don't ingest permethrin (for hiking use)--you put it on clothing. (There are cautions on the packaging about inhalation, skin contact, and ingestion.) As it dries, it binds to the fabric fibers. Once dry, your exposure is minimal.

Doug

Hi Doug,

Yes, I was aware that ingestion was not necessary. I just thought I would report the only credible findings I found regarding potential health effects.


Z

 

[summitseeker]

summitseeker: Please note that it is not an insect repellant. It is a contact insecticide, it will not keep bugs away. It kills on contact, but after a short delay.

Hi Hillwalker,

Yes, you are 100% correct thank you for the clarification. I should have used a different term rather than "deter". My neck took the brunt of last night's mosquito attack, so hopefully wearing it as a bandana around my neck will reduce the amount of bites between my collar and hat.


Field report will be coming soon,

Z

 

[DougPaul]

Yes, I was aware that ingestion was not necessary. I just thought I would report the only credible findings I found regarding potential health effects.

Permethrin is also used on wheat, maize, and alfalfa crops (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permethrin) so residues could be eaten with one's food. Thus the concern about ingestion.

Here is an opinion from the EPA: http://www2.epa.gov/insect-repellents/repellent-treated-clothing

Permethrin is inactivated by chemicals in the skin so even if there were no safety concerns, there is no point in intentionally applying it to one's skin..

Doug

 

[summitseeker]

Hi All,

I field tested the Permethrin Exofficio bandana on Friday (around my neck) and found it to be not nearly a effective as I was hoping. There were many mosquitoes that still found areas of exposed and/or thinly protected skin near my neck. What is interesting is that the EPA recognizes this compound as a "repellant" when applied to clothing, but although it is an effective insecticide, I found it did not repel insects at any distance besides direct contact with the material.

Factory-Treated Clothing to Repel Insects: EPA Quote
The only insect repellent currently used for factory treatment of clothing is permethrin. Permethrin is a broad spectrum, non-systemic, synthetic pyrethroid insecticide that targets adults and larvae of many species of biting, chewing, scaling, soil, and flying invertebrates. Permethrin is registered by the EPA as an insecticide for use in a variety of settings. When used to pre-treat clothing, it is an insect repellent.

At any rate I am optimistic that this chemical is effective against direct contact with treated fabric against ticks, but I am unsure of how well it works as a "repellant" (again, EPA's terminology not mine) against mosquitoes or other biting, flying, insects. Either way, I am not going to be using this product again. IMHO the Exoffocio neck gaiter would likely yield better results, but I would rather wear rain gear, Deet, or nothing rather than Permethrin under similar mosquito infested circumstances.

Be Well,

Z

 

[DougPaul]

The EPA classification may be a legal classification rather than a functional classification. (I saw that too, but ignored it.)

FWIW, I treat my summer hiking outfit (hat, shirt, pants, and socks) with permethrin and use DEET on skin as needed (generally due to mosquitoes) and simply don't find ticks on me. And whenever possible, I avoid contact with brush or use my poles to push it aside. (Ticks generally sit on low brush waiting for a mammal to walk by.)

Doug