While the risk to humans from pyrethroids is relatively low when applied properly, these products are far from harmless to human health. People exposed to large amounts of pyrethroids can experience effects like stinging skin, dizziness, headache, or nausea that might last for several hours.
Many of my patients have experienced severe neurologic and respiratory exacerbations as well as other organ system damage, such as significant increase in liver enzymes, from exposure to residue from pesticide spraying for West Nile virus.
Inhaling mosquito repellents can be harmful to the lungs, depending on the active ingredients and the level of exposure. Most mosquito repellents contain chemicals such as DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus, which are generally considered safe for topical use but can cause respiratory irritation if inhaled.
Steps you should take:
If possible, remain inside or avoid the area whenever spraying takes place and for about 30 minutes after spraying. That time period will greatly reduce the likelihood of your breathing pesticides in the air.
So, no matter what pest control treatment you need to get done at your house you can sleep in your home after treatment.
DEET is a widely used repellent that deters pests by making it harder for them to smell humans. Despite being effective, it has faced controversy over potential health and environmental impacts, including skin irritation and toxicity concerns. Some countries have even banned DEET due to these risks.
Stay indoors with the windows closed during spraying. If you are outdoors when spraying takes place and come in contact with the chemical, rinse your skin and eyes with water. Wash fruits and vegetables from your garden before storing, cooking, or eating.
They do not have any residual effect – they work only at the time of treatment to quickly reduce adult mosquito populations. Once applied, the product begins to break down rapidly and dissipates 5 to 30 minutes later, depending on the formulation and weather conditions.
If it hasn't worn off by bedtime, you'll want to wash it off with soap and water, as it can be irritating if left on overnight. Unless you are camping overnight in an area with ticks or mosquitoes, you don't want it sitting on your skin if insects aren't a concern. “If you don't need it on, get it off,” Waldman says.
DEET, picaridin, and natural oils like lemon and eucalyptus oil are all very common and safe ingredients found in bug repellent. Some people prefer to stay away from DEET, as it can burn when it gets in your eyes and often comes with a potent smell.
Symptoms of mild poisoning include fatigue, headache, dizziness, blurred vision, excessive sweating and salivation, nausea and vomiting, and stomach cramps or diarrhea. Symptoms of moderate poisoning include inability to walk, weakness, chest discomfort, muscle twitches, and constriction of the pupil of the eye.
DEET has an excellent safety profile and has remarkable protection against mosquitoes, ticks and various other arthropods. Toxicity is unusual, and is generally associated with incorrect, or overuse of the product. We report a patient with severe toxicity following inhalational exposure to a "bug bomb".
For sprays that contain pyrethrins: For simple exposure or inhaling small amounts, recovery should occur. Severe breathing difficulty can quickly become life threatening.
If you live in the spray area, stay indoors during spraying and your keep windows closed for one hour after the spraying is completed. Keep your pets indoors if possible. Set your window air conditioners to circulate indoor air.
1. Pyrethrins are chemicals taken from chrysanthemum flowers that are poisonous to insects. The sun destroys pyrethrins very quickly, so when they are used for mosquito control, most of the active ingredients are gone within an hour when exposed to sunlight.
Get medical help right away. Do not make the person throw up unless poison control or a health care provider tells you to. If the chemical is on the skin or in the eyes, flush with lots of water for at least 15 minutes. If the person breathed in the poison, move them to fresh air right away.
Check the label to see if there are warnings about flammability. If so, do not use around open flames or lit cigarettes. After returning indoors, wash treated skin and clothes with soap and water.
Exposure Levels
Short-term exposure to fogging sprays is typically considered safe if guidelines are followed. It's best to avoid direct contact with the fog and stay indoors or avoid the treated area until the fog dissipates.
Most people and their pets do not have health effects during or after the spraying. Some people are more sensitive to the pesticides and are notified before the spraying occurs. If you have effects from the spraying, please contact your doctor.
Most people reason that rain washes the product away, requiring a re-spray, but actually the opposite is true. As long as your yard has had adequate time to dry and the product has had time to bond to the foliage (usually about 30 minutes) rain should not impact the effectiveness of your service.
Researchers have not found any evidence that DEET causes cancer in animals or humans. DEET has been classified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) as "not classifiable as a human carcinogen", which means that there is not enough evidence to say that it does or does not cause cancer.
DEET has been classified as a Group D carcinogen (not classifiable as a human carcinogen.) Although DEET's use has been implicated in seizures among children, the Agency believes that the incident data are insufficient to establish DEET as the cause of the reported effects.
Studies have shown that Picaridin is effective, safe and has fewer unpleasant qualities than DEET. Picaridin is odorless, does not melt plastics, or feel oily on skin.