Comments:

DEET identified a possible cause of Gulf War Syndrome 

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This forwarded article indicates the serious question about the nature of DEET as a synergist.  Because DEET is readily absorbed through the skin, there are questions about its use in combination with other pesticides:  DEET may be synergizing pesticides that aren't so readily absorbed through the skin, allowing those pesticides to become absorbed into the body, and amplifying their toxicity.  There have been no in vivo studies of DEET in combination with synthetic pyrethroids.

Additionally, the misapplication of DEET by users who don't carefully read the minute labels on over-the-counter products is a potentially serious problem.  The State of Connecticut Department of Public Health has listed specific precautions when using DEET (see Insecticides and Repellents Used For Mosquito Control with Emphasis on Preventing The Spread of West Nile Virus) and reports that the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) reports that no definitive studies exist in the scientific literature about what concentration of DEET is safe for children and that the AAP recommends a cautious approach, using products containing 10% DEET or less on children.

I believe that senior citizens using higher dosage applications of DEET should also be specifically precautioned about misuse.  They should especially be told to use DEET sparingly only on exposed skin and to not use DEET underneath clothing.  I'm concerned that housebound seniors are applying Backwoods Cutter, then slipping on sweaters and long-sleeved shirts as they cool down in air-conditioned housing.

A senior citizen being brought into an emergency room suffering from incoherence, altered behavior, headache, restlessness, irritability, ataxia, rapid loss of consciousness, hypotension or seizures will not necessarily be screened for pesticide poisoning but rather for other, more common, conditions to the elderly.

It would be more practical for public officials to simply advise senior citizens that the mosquitoes carrying WNV to date in this area are night feeders and more likely to feed upon birds than human beings.  Seniors are being advised that they must cover their arms and legs if they're out in the yard and to avoid exposure to mosquitoes during the evening hours.  But if they're covering their arms and legs, they should NOT be applying DEET to their skin first.

Furthermore, there is appropriate warning on both the EPA mandated label on the DEET product, as well as in the DPH Guide for Healthcare Providers, that users should be cautious about applying DEET to clothing because DEET-repellents may damage some synthetic fabrics (rayon and spandex), plastics (watch, crystals and eyeglass frames), leather and painted or varnished surfaces.  They generally do not damage nylon or natural fiber (cotton or wool) products.

Seniors with chronic skin conditions should be extremely cautious about applying DEET to their skin.  DEET can exacerbate certain skin conditions and enters the body more quickly through wounds, where it is more toxic in the gut and eventually excreted through the kidneys.

I'm dismayed that nonmedical personnel are distributing DEET.  At the very lea st, large-type flyers specifying the toxic effects of DEET, as they've been delineated to health care providers in the area in the DPH Guide, should be handed out to seniors with the cans of Cutter.  I also question the high dosage of DEET in this product as being too toxic for this age group.

If these people receive correct, complete information they can make an informed choice about whether they need to apply.  Right now I'm sure they're assuming that government officials wouldn't hand out anything that might harm them.  At the most extreme minimum, there should be a very large sign over the product display telling people to READ THE LABEL CAREFULLY before they apply the product.

Again, I feel public officials are maximizing the dangers of WNV and minimizing the dangers of pesticides.  Poorly informed people, driven by fear, are harming themselves.

Patricia Taylor

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