Study summary
Efficacy of some wearable devices compared with spray-on insect repellents for Aedes aegypti
Rodriguez SD, Chung H-N, Gonzales KK, et al.
Read the original paper- Study type
- Lab
- Year
- 2017
- Species tested
- Aedes aegypti
- Published in
- Journal of Insect Science 17(1):46
- Evidence strength
- Well-supported evidence
How it was tested
Laboratory comparison of wearable repellent devices against spray-on repellents using human bait trials.
Summary
Prompted by the Zika outbreak, this study compared eleven products, five sprays, five wearable devices, and a candle, for how well they reduced Aedes aegypti drawn to a person in a wind tunnel. The wearables mostly failed.
Key findings
Of the five wearable devices, only the metofluthrin-releasing clip-on fogger reduced attraction; every geraniol bracelet, the sonic repeller app, and the citronella candle did nothing. The DEET and lemon-eucalyptus (PMD) sprays worked best, 10% picaridin was the weakest spray, and effectiveness fell off at 3 meters for everything except high-concentration DEET. The takeaway matches the wider evidence: wristbands, sonic gadgets, and candles do not protect you; skin-applied repellents, and a metofluthrin emitter, do.
Limitations
One mosquito species and strain, only two volunteers, controlled wind-tunnel conditions rather than the field, and no measure of how long protection lasts over time.