Sustained efficacy of the novel topical repellent TT‐4302 against mosquitoes and ticks

• Published in: Medical and veterinary entomology 2016-03, Vol.30 (1), p.107-111
• Main Authors: BISSINGER, B. W., KENNEDY, M. K., CARROLL, S. P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acaricides; Aedes; Aedes aegypti; Amblyomma americanum; Animals; Arachnids; Culicidae; DEET; Diptera; Female; geraniol; Insect Repellents; Insecticides; Ixodidae; Mosquito Control; Mosquitoes; Nymph; Stegomyia aegypti; Terpenes; Tick Control; Ticks - growth & development
• ISSN: 0269-283X; 1365-2915
• DOI: 10.1111/mve.12151

Mosquitoes and ticks are blood‐feeding pests of humans and animals that can vector many important aetiological agents of disease. Previous research demonstrated that TT‐4302 (Guardian® Wilderness) containing 5% geraniol applied to human subjects gave 5–6 h of repellency against mosquitoes (depending on species) and was repellent to ticks in vitro. This study was conducted to obtain an independent third‐party evaluation of TT‐4302 against Stegomyia aegypti (= Aedes aegypti) (Diptera: Culicidae) mosquitoes and to test the efficacy of the product in the field against ticks. TT‐4302 provided an average of 6.5 h of repellency of ≥ 95% [Weibull mean protection time: 7.4 h, 95% confidence interval (CI) 5.8–11.3 h] for St. aegypti, whereas a 15% DEET formulation provided 4.7 h of repellency (Weibull mean protection time: 5.2 h, 95% CI 3.7–6.9 h). In tick field trials, the efficacy of TT‐4302 did not differ significantly from that of a 25% DEET formulation against Amblyomma americanum (Ixodida: Ixodidae). TT‐4302 was 81.3% repellent at 2.5 h after application, whereas DEET was 77.2% repellent at the same time‐point. Results at 3.5 h after application were 71.4% for TT‐4302 and 72.9% for DEET.