West Nile Virus Prevention, and Control

West Nile Virus - what the media won't tell you The potential importance of polluted and unhealthy environments in which West Nile virus outbreaks often occur is being ignored due to lack of funding and scientific indifference. It's noteworthy that West Nile virus is typically described by scientists as a rare, mild and usually harmless infection in humans, affecting mostly the elderly. In birds, however, the virus has been highly touted as a killer. Traditionally, birds have been viewed as sentinels for toxic environments, the canary in the mine being the most famous example. What if some degree of the damage to birds and humans now attributed solely to the virus is actually triggered by harsh environmental factors that need to be addressed?.... Jim West a researcher who works with No Spray Coalition, discovered that those New York City area counties with MTBE-reformulated gasoline reported that 117 dead crows were positive for West Nile virus. The other counties without the MTBE only reported 2 positives.The counties by then had tested about 570 dead birds. Breaking the data down further, he found that in those MTBE-using counties designated as severe air pollution areas by the EPA, the percentage of positives of those birds tested was 24 times the number found in moderate- and less-polluted counties." - Nicholas Regush

Also See: Consumer Alert! Raising Public Awareness of Modern Day Hazards

Natural Prevention, Treatment, and Control

West Nile virus disease is a mosquito-borne infection that can cause mild flu-like illness or severe encephalitis. Although chances of a person getting encephalitis are small, there are some simple steps you can take to reduce your risk of being bitten by mosquitoes. "Because of the widespread fear, bordering on panic, that has accompanied the continued appearance of the West Nile Virus, massive pesticide spraying campaigns are underway. The insecticides being used in New York are sumithrin (Anvil) and resmethrin (Scourge), both synthetic pyrethroids. The Pyrethroids may interfere with the immune and endocrine systems. According to researchers writing in the Journal of Applied Toxicology , "immense care is warranted in the use of insecticides, because they not only affect the liver, kidney and other organs but also may alter the activity of the endocrine glands." (J Appl Toxicol 1996 Sep-Oct;16(5):397-400). Other researchers have found that pyrethroids are environmental estrogens, and may contribute to reproductive dysfunction, developmental impairment, and cancer.

Powerful West Nile Virus Protection

Most people by far who become infected with the West Nile virus "fight it off without even knowing they were infected, while a small minority suffer flu-like symptoms such as aches and fever".

"Only one per cent suffer encephalitis - inflammation of the brain that can cause fever, headaches, stiffness, confusion and muscle weakness - and only five per cent of these suffer long-term consequences, or even death." said Dr. Colin D'Cunha, Chief Medical Officer of Health, the Province of Ontario, August 30. 2002. Exactly the same holds true for Cryptococcal disease, a rare fungal infection caused by the spores of a tree fungus, that can affect the lungs and nervous system. In some cases, the infection can lead to swelling of the lining of the brain. "The disease and the cryptococcus fungus appear across the world. Most people are exposed to some variety of the fungus at some point in their life but never develop serious symptoms", writes Dr. Murray Fyfe, BC Centre for Disease Control, "less than 3 cases are reported per 100,000 people per year on Vancouver Island." (Also CTV news, September 6. 2002). It is clear that most people have highly effective immune systems which protect them against both diseases, that some people have a somewhat effective immune system, and that a few have an inadequate immune system.

Dangers of using Malathion for Mosquito Control

Dr. Leonard G. Horowitz - "Spraying malathion, a suspected human chemical carcinogen and known immune system blocker, or its alternate, Anvil 10:10, violates a basic tenant of public health practice that requires foreknowledge of the risks and proven benefits of the policy before it is implemented"

"The chemicals that are released into the environment in an effort to control mosquitoes are harmful to human health, wildlife, and ecosystems. They are also ineffective in that they kill only a limited percentage of mosquitoes, leaving sprayed communities with a false sense of security and less likely to use effective, non-toxic, control measures. There is evidence that long-term spraying may actually increase the number of mosquitoes by destroying predators that feed on mosquito larvae and adults. Mosquitoes that are sprayed but not killed by the poisons may become resistant, become more aggressive biters, and have increased prevalence of West Nile Virus (WNV) within their bodies." "The only hard evidence available that pesticide applicators are behind efforts to increase public hysteria and thus the market for their products comes from the New York State Attorney General's Office. A Long Island landscaping company agreed to pay a fine and cease an advertising campaign that falsely claimed its spraying of homeowners' trees and shrubs would kill mosquitoes carrying the West Nile Virus. The action against Green Island Tree Spray Inc. of Huntington includes a fine of $35,000 and restitution to customers who hired the company based on its deceptive advertising. "This pesticides applicator cynically preyed upon peoples' fear of the West Nile virus for the sake of increased profit," said Attorney General Spitzer. "This action should serve as a warning to others who might contemplate similar schemes." Excerpt from the Maine Environmental Policy Institute (MEPI) and the Toxics Action Center.

Cure's More Deadly Than the Disease

Because of the widespread fear, bordering on panic, that has accompanied the continued appearance of the West Nile Virus, massive pesticide spraying campaigns are underway in many areas on the Northeastern US, including New York City and Boston. The insecticides being used in New York are sumithrin (Anvil) and resmethrin (Scourge), both synthetic pyrethroids. In Boston, only resmethrin is being used. The use of both pesticides are coming under considerable criticism, as potentially toxic chemicals that pose a danger to humans, wildlife and the environment.

The Pyrethroids may interfere with the immune and endocrine systems. Other adverse chronic effects, including effects on the liver and thyroid, have been reported in toxicology testing. According to toxicologists, animal tests showed that chronic exposure to resmethrin could increase thyroid weight and cause thyroid cysts. In animal studies, it was found that in addition to a variety of other health effects, exposure to pyrethroids can suppress both the thyroid's T4 and T3 levels, and raise Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) levels.

According to researchers writing in the Journal of Applied Toxicology, "immense care is warranted in the use of insecticides, because they not only affect the liver, kidney and other organs but also may alter the activity of the endocrine glands." (J Appl Toxicol 1996 Sep-Oct;16(5):397-400). Other researchers have found that pyrethroids are environmental estrogens, and may contribute to reproductive dysfunction, developmental impairment, and cancer" (Abstract).

Another study found that some pyrethroids have the potential to promote breast cell proliferation, an action that can increase cancer risk (Abstract). Jay Feldman, is executive director of the National Coalition Against the Misuse of Pesticides, a Washington, D.C.-based environmental organization. According to him, "The city has overstepped the boundaries of safety and law in the handling of its mosquito prevention and management program, exposing the public to hazardous pesticides."

The group has filed a lawsuit against the City of New York over the spraying, citing violations of federal and state environmental statutes. William Cooke, a spokesman for the National Audubon Society in New York, commenting on the spraying to the New York Times, saying: "There's a grossly inadequate effort to track the collateral impact on the environment and on humans."

Potentially toxic spraying such what is taking place in New York City and Boston may become a concern in other areas of the country soon, as experts believe that the West Nile virus is on the move. "The virus is probably in every corner of North America by now," as well as parts of South America, says John Rappole from the Smithsonian Institution's zoo, in the July issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases magazine.

West Nile Virus and Horses

Dr. Falconer DVM - This has a lot of people running scared and vaccinating their horses repeatedly. Yet, the percentage of those exposed to the virus who actually get sick is very small, on the order of 10%. Why? The likely reason is that the majority of the horses, (or dogs or people) exposed to the virus had adequate NK cell function at the time of exposure. To make sure your horse is in the protected group though, feed Immune Modulator Nutritionals along with a host of immune synergists and excellent quality nutrients for healthy coats and hooves. If your area has any reported cases of West Nile (or colds, flu, Strangles, EPM, etc.), just boost the immune system additionally with this immune support formula

Overkill: Why Pesticide Spraying for West Nile Virus May Cause More Harm Than Good

In researching the issue of West Nile Virus, one is struck by the lack of understanding of the public and decision makers about the risks that WNV actually poses to their health, and their acquiescence to spray programs. There is little consideration of the harm that the release of pesticides can do to human health and the environment. When people hear that a "deadly" virus from the "heart of Africa" is responsible for killing residents in their community they are understandably upset and want the government agencies and public officials to "do something!" Unfortunately, the first line of defense has been toxic chemicals. The reasons for this are complex. They are rooted in everything from our innate fear of disease to media-induced hysteria to many people's feeling that the government will make the right decisions when it comes to protecting their health and the environment when responding to and defining a public health "crisis."

The purpose of this report is to empower the people and communities of Maine with the information they need to protect themselves from West Nile Virus while at the same time protecting themselves, their children, wildlife, and the lobster fishery from the potential harm a spray campaign could inflict.

The report examines the history and epidemiology of West Nile Virus, takes a hard look at the threats it poses and discusses the mosquitoes and animals that are involved in spreading the disease. It looks at how WNV has spread in the eastern US, what the response has been, and what Maine is doing about the situation. The chemical weapons used against the mosquitoes and how they behave in the environment and in human and animal bodies, and their effectiveness at killing mosquitoes and stopping the spread of WNV are examined in depth. Most importantly, we describe alternatives to toxic chemicals to control mosquitoes.

Blowing the Whistle on West Nile - Shades of 1950's and DDT

I'm reminded of the 1950's...TV newscasts showing clouds of DDT sprayed on a clueless public, compromising their health and contaminating the environment for decades to come, as Rachel Carson writes "Silent Spring." But the time is now, other toxic pesticides have joined the ranks in our wayward war against mosquitoes, and the Rachels of today are drowned out by a media rushing to sound the alarm, rather than report the news.

And the news is - pesticides pose a much greater health hazard than the West Nile virus.

DEET, Anvil, and other toxic pesticides are aggressively promoted to protect the public from a mosquito bite that appears to be, statistically, less dangerous than a dog bite or bee sting. And the CDC seems to agree. On its website it says, "Human illness from West Nile virus is rare, even in areas where the virus has been reported. The chance that any one person is going to become ill from a mosquito bite is low."

Since 1999 only a handful of deaths per year have been associated with West Nile, even though the virus has been found in 33 states. The fact that this "health crisis" has been exaggerated, and that chemical spraying is usually the least effective yet most toxic way to control mosquitoes, has deterred some state officials, but not others. The New York State Health Department backed away from recommending wholesale spraying after finding that more people got sick from the pesticides than from the virus. However, Louisiana has just asked for $17 million in federal aid, and Mississippi is following suit. There's no word yet on how the money is to be allocated, but rest assured the pesticide companies stand to benefit.

Meanwhile, some citizen groups are taking matters into their own hands. The No Spray Coalition is suing New York City to stop pesticide spraying in their neighborhoods. There's a good deal of information on government and other websites about the toxic effects of pesticides, but a comprehensive picture of the specific pesticides and issues involved in the West Nile campaign is well laid out in a report called " Overkill: Why Pesticide Spraying for West Nile Virus May Cause More Harm Than Good " by the Maine Environmental Policy Institute (MEPI) and the Toxics Action Center.

In short, they report that these pesticides offer a toxic legacy: short- and long-term respiratory problems, immune and nervous system disruption, cancer, and reproductive and learning disorders. That covers just about everything you'd never want to get. The "Overkill" report also emphasizes the association between outdoor pesticide sprays and neurological damage, stating, "A report of pesticides and childhood brain cancers published in Environmental Health Perspectives (a publication of the National Institutes of Health) revealed a strong relationship between brain cancers and pyrethroids used to kill fleas and ticks." Anvil, a pyrethroid, is a popular pesticide used by state agencies to control mosquitoes.

NV Positive Wildlife And MTBE

Analysis of NYSDEC Pathology Unit's - In the New York City region, a public health disaster was recognized during the summer of 1999. That recurring seasonal phenomena is referred to as the “West Nile Virus Epidemic” and a virus was said to have caused the human illness, disease, and unprecedented wildlife mortality.

This study analyzes the NYSDEC Wildlife Pathology Unit’s “West Nile Virus Database” (1999) in terms of air pollution, ozone, MTBE protocols, animals reported, WNV-negatives, and WNV-positives.

The 62 counties of New York State are defined, for the purpose of this study, within three categories of air pollution: A) Severe counties (9) are the original EPA "Severe-17" counties. B) Moderate counties (10) are those originally designated by EPA as “Moderate NA”, plus the county of Albany and its surrounding counties that experience dense metropolitan traffic. Less polluted counties (43) are the remaining counties. (see map)

Findings: WNV-positive animal mortality correlated precisely with EPA county-by-county categories that affect gasoline formulations with MTBE (methyl ethyl butyl ether). MTBE is a poisonous gasoline additive that has been undergoing a phase-out and ban as recommended by the EPA on July 31, 1999, at the height of arguably the highest incidence of bird mortality in the history of the U.S.

The WNV-positive percentage of tested animals in the severe counties was 24 times greater than in the moderate counties plus less polluted counties.

No animal tested positive for WNV in the less polluted counties.

West Nile Virus: Out of Africa? Or out of a Lab?

Health authorities claim the virus entered the US via travelers from the Middle East, or via a stray mosquito on an airplane. Other researchers claim the virus arrived with African animals or birds placed in zoos. But, in fact, the WN virus has been housed in US labs for decades (along with African animals), and has been openly sold to researchers around the world. From the very beginning of the WN virus outbreak, there were rumours of bioterrorism, but these rumours were denied by health officials.

Public Health Expert Calls West Nile Virus Pesticide Spraying Program “Madness”

Sandpoint, ID — News reports about threatened West Nile Virus (WNV) infections spreading across America have missed the much greater risks posed by chemical sprayings. This mosquito control program is “madness” according to a leading public health authority whose proof is in a new book being donated to libraries and legislators nationwide.

Dr. Leonard G. Horowitz, a Harvard graduate independent investigator, and author of more than thirteen books including the national bestseller, Emerging Viruses: AIDS ? Ebola, says spraying pesticides to combat mosquitoes suspected of carrying the West Nile Virus (WNV) has not been scientifically proven to be either safe for humans or effective against the disease. Spraying malathion, a suspected human chemical carcinogen and known immune system blocker, or its alternate, Anvil 10:10, violates a basic tenant of public health practice that requires foreknowledge of the risks and proven benefits of the policy before it is implemented, he says.

There is substantial evidence linking exposure to these airborne chemicals to cancer and genetic damage, the doctor maintains. For this reason he has urged political and public health officials to stop what he calls “imprudent practices that are clearly lethal to people.”

In support of his activism, the publisher of Dr. Horowitz’s Death in the Air (Tetrahedron; 1-888-508-4787) has donated more than 1,000 copies to libraries and legislators. His documentation comes “highly recommended” in the July, 2002 issue of LIBRARY JOURNAL, the nation’s leading academic library periodical.

Henry A. Wallace of the Institute for Alternative Agriculture has also voiced concern saying, “I think people, by now, would know that heavy applications of pesticide have not been the right way to go” in-so-far-as halting the spread of threatening diseases. “Spraying people with pesticide that do not want to be sprayed must be morally wrong.”

Dr. Horowitz says, “This spraying policy violates ethical, moral, and scientific standards. To give people the proof and power to resist this madness I’ve even lifted the copyright on the book. People should photocopy and circulate the stunning evidence at townhall meetings for the benefit of their communities and conscientious policy- makers considering or debating this pesticide spraying issue.”

General Facts about West Nile Virus

"Even in areas where the virus is circulating, very few mosquitoes are infected with the virus. Even if the mosquito is infected, less than 1% of people who get bitten and become infected will get severely ill. The chances you will become severely ill from any one mosquito bite are extremely small." CDC

Encephalitis is a viral infection. Mild cases may include a slight fever and/or headache. More severe infections are marked by a rapid onset of a high fever with head and body aches. Usually symptoms occur from 5 to 15 days after exposure. There is no specific treatment for viral infections, other than to treat the symptoms and provide supportive care. Those who may be most susceptible to encephalitis are the elderly and persons with damaged immune systems.

West Nile virus is currently found in many areas of the eastern half of the United States. The virus is spread by the bite of an infected mosquito, and can infect people, horses, many types of birds, and some other animals.

Most people who become infected with West Nile virus will have either no symptoms or only mild ones. On rare occasions, infection can result in a severe and sometimes fatal illness known as West Nile encephalitis (an inflammation of the brain). The risk of severe disease is higher for persons 50 years of age and older. As of August 2, 2002 there have been 36 cases of West Nile virus related human illness confirmed to CDC during 2002, including 2 deaths. From 1999 through 2001, there were 149 cases of West Nile virus human illness in the United States reported to CDC and confirmed, including 18 deaths.

There is no evidence to suggest that West Nile virus can be spread from person to person or from animal to person.

Mosquito Spraying and West Nile Virus

In 1999 and 2000, New Yorkers were exposed to massive amounts of toxic pesticides by the Giuliani administration in a panicked overreaction to the alleged threat of West Nile Virus (WNV - a disease that the Department of Health?s own press releases admit is extremely hard to become infected by and is very rarely fatal. We were repeatedly sprayed by helicopters and trucks in our homes, in public parks, while shopping, while playing in schoolyards, while eating in outdoor restaurants and while traveling to and from work and school.

Now the possible spray area for mosquitoes said to be carrying West Nile Virus has been extended to cities up and down the entire east coast, and as far west as the Mississippi River, even though there have been no human fatalities in the US from West Nile encephalitis apart from eight people in New York in the last two years. Spraying has taken place in almost every county in New York State, as well as in New Jersey, parts of Connecticut (which used Scourge/Resmethrin), Maryland, Massachusetts and along the entire eastern seaboard from Maine all the way to Florida.

Despite overwhelming evidence of the hazards of indiscriminate pesticide use, plans are underway to extend the broadcast spraying for West Nile-carrying mosquitoes to urban areas such as Cleveland, Ohio and Detroit, Michigan. On the west coast, massive indiscriminate spraying of urban areas is already underway for other insects.

New York City remains the epicenter, and what happens there will dramatically affect what happens everywhere else. Public health experts, mosquito control technicians, and scientists who specialize in studying the effects of pesticide exposure warn that this unprecedented use of chemicals on densely packed urban populations will not only be ineffective for mosquito control but pose a far greater health risk than West Nile Virus.

The main chemical used in 1999, Malathion (Fyfanon ULV), is described by the NYC Mayor?s Chem-Bio Handbook - the City?s official guide to handling chemical and biological emergencies which is distributed to every police precinct, ambulance and fire truck - as a toxic nerve gas directly related to those used in WWII. Anvil (Sumithrin + Piperonyl Butoxide + Petroleum-related byproducts), the synthetic pyrethroid nerve gas sprayed from trucks in 2000, is known to cause asthma, disruption of sexual hormones and various other health disorders, and has been linked to breast cancer in women and diminished sperm counts in men.

Toxic Pesticides?

According to a study by Dr. Mary Wolff of Mount Sinai School of Medicine, the main component of Anvil, the chemical Sumithrin, disrupts human hormones and has been shown to increase the growth of breast cancer tumors.

"Women who have breast cancer and who may be exposed to the spraying should be notified about that," Wood said. "These politicians who have no knowledge of this stuff keep saying it's okay. But I'm afraid 10 to 15 years from now we'll be paying the consequences."

Rather than jump to costly pesticide spraying that has to be repeated every year, Wood said, City Hall should look at its own successful and environmentally sound ways of eliminating mosquitoes.

One of those methods is something called a Mosquito Magnet, a machine that looks like a barbecue grill. It burns propane gas that sends out a plume of carbon dioxide. The plume attracts mosquitoes who are then sucked in and killed. One magnet can destroy adult mosquitoes over an acre of land.

The city is already using these machines in all of its waste treatment plants. It needs to order hundreds, or even thousands, more.

What we don't need is an annual battle over pesticide spraying that does more harm than the danger being fought.

Prevention and Control without Toxic Pesticides

DEET mosquito repellent has been associated with seizures and several cases of toxic encephalopathy (encephalitis) in children, including three deaths, according to the Extension Toxicology Network at Cornell University.

Bug Arrest is an ecologically safe and effective pest management solution for humans and pets. This non-toxic product contains natural enzymes that devour the exoskeleton of pests such as fleas, lice, scabies, mites, and more.
Natural herbal remedies for insect bites and stings: redness, swelling, itching
Indoor/Outdoor Insector, The Bug Collector. How many sleepless nights have been spent listening to the unnerving whine of a mosquito or the buzz/thwack of a frantic fly? How many outdoor evenings have been spoiled by annoying moths or a squadron of hungry mosquitoes? The new Insector Bug Collector works both indoors and out to trap unwanted insect guests without resorting to electric zaps, gooey adhesives or noxious poisons. Just plug in the Insector in your bedroom, kitchen, backyard patio, anywhere you'd like to be free of flying pests. The insect-attracting blue light lures flying insects toward a down-drafting fan that pushes them into an inescapable trap in the base, where they perish naturally. Cleanup is quick and easy — just unscrew the base and empty the trap. Insector is an effective, yet attractive device with its sculptural profile and attractive translucent blue color. Durable plastic construction withstands exposure to UV rays.

Essential Oil in Catnip is a highly effective mosquito repellant

CHICAGO, August 27 — Researchers report that nepetalactone, the essential oil in catnip that gives the plant its characteristic odor, is about ten times more effective at repelling mosquitoes than DEET — the compound used in most commercial insect repellents. Entomologist Chris Peterson, Ph.D., with Joel Coats, Ph.D., chair of the university’s entomology department, led the effort to test catnip’s ability to repel mosquitoes. Peterson, a former post-doctoral research associate at the school, is now with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Wood Products Insects Research Unit, in Starkville, Miss.

In the laboratory, repellency is measured on a scale ranging from +100 percent, considered highly repellent, to –100 percent, considered a strong attractant. A compound with a +100 percent repellency rating would repel all mosquitoes, while –100 percent would attract them all. A rating of zero means half of the insects would stay on the treated side and half on the untreated side. In Peterson’s tests, catnip ranged from +49 percent to +59 percent at high doses, and +39 percent to +53 percent at low doses. By comparison, at the same doses, DEET’s repellency was only about +10 percent in this bioassay, he notes.

Peterson says nepetalactone is about 10 times more effective than DEET because it takes about one-tenth as much nepetalactone as DEET to have the same effect. Most commercial insect repellents contain about 5 percent to 25 percent DEET. Presumably, much less catnip oil would be needed in a formulation to have the same level of repellency as a DEET-based repellent.

Why catnip repels mosquitoes is still a mystery, says Peterson. “It might simply be acting as an irritant or they don’t like the smell. But nobody really knows why insect repellents work.” Catnip is a perennial herb belonging to the mint family and grows wild in most parts of the United States, although it also is cultivated for commercial use. Catnip is native to Europe and was introduced to this country in the late 18th century. It is primarily known for the stimulating effect it has on cats, although some people use the leaves in tea, as a meat tenderizer and even as a folk treatment for fevers, colds, cramps and migraines.

Chris Peterson, Ph.D., is a former post-doctoral research associate at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, and is now a Research Entomologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Wood Products Insect Research Service, in Starkville, Miss. Joel R. Coats, Ph.D., is professor of entomology and toxicology and Chair of the Department of Entomology at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa.

From the mailbag - Natural mosquito repellent
I received this email from a visitor of my site to remind me of a safe natural insect repellent. She writes: "There's another natural product that you won't buy in a store that works against mosquitoes and best of all its free -it's your own urine! Of course, not too many people would have much desire for this method. However, if you drink a bunch of water beforehand, then, on your next bathroom break, collect a little urine, there will hardly be any smell to it. Rub it on and no mosquito will touch you. I learned that in the rainforest of Costa Rica. When we finished our rainforest trek and went to a hotel in San Jose, CR, the hotel owner was very surprised that we had no mosquito bites (especially considering that we traveled during the rainy season)."

DEET in Mosquito Repellents is Extremely Troubling

"The use of DEET has been associated with seizures and several cases of toxic encephalopathy (encephalitis) in children, including three deaths, according to the Extension Toxicology Network at Cornell University."

Think about using Deet?

In the July 30^th edition of the Latrobe Bulletin I read an article called, "West Nile virus spreading faster than expected". It advised using a mosquito repellent containing DEET. I’ve heard that DEET is not safe for children. What’s your take on this and are there any herbal insect repellents I could use instead of products containing DEET? Jean M., Waterford, PA

DEET is the common name for N,N-diethyl-m-toluamid. DEET is a unique pesticide because it is applied directly to the human body for the purpose of repelling insects. It was developed and patented by the U.S. Army in 1946 for use by military personnel. Deet was then registered for general public use in the U.S. in the 1957.

Products containing N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide and isomers (DEET) are beneficial as insect repellents, but have also been associated with dermal (skin) irritation such as blisters and scarring (Reuveni and Yagupsky, 1982) and neurological damage including toxic encephalopathy with symptoms of agitation, weakness, disorientation, seizures, coma and death (Heick, 1980 and Zadikoff, 1979). DEET is absorbed promptly through the skin and distributed to all organs including the brain and (in case of pregnancy) the fetus. I gleaned this information from EXTOXNET, a Pesticide Information Project of Cooperative Extension Offices of Cornell University, Michigan State university, Oregon State University and University of California at Davis at their web site:

In 1995 the National Poison Control Center in Washington, DC. received over 6,700 reports of (DEET) repellent exposure side effects, including one death. Of the 6,700 reports, two thirds occurred in children age six and under.

I have never used insect repellents containing DEET and I would not recommend using them, especially on children. But with the recent threat of the West Nile virus, I can understand how most people will panic and reach for the DEET. However there are a lot of precautions one can take to protect themselves against mosquitoes, such as getting rid of stagnant water around the yard and wearing protective clothing when going into the woods or working in the garden. Last year during the heat of summer I would work in my garden from 7:00 until dark. Although this was more comfortable than mid-day, the mosquitoes were out in full force and anxious to bite. After getting pretty bite up the first time, I decided to pick some Sage and Chamomile leaves and rub them on my arms and face thereafter. It worked and the mosquitoes left me alone!

There are several natural alternatives to DEET products on the market but they are slow to catch on and you have to go to a health food store or on line to get them. Granted the DEET formulas work longer (from 6 – 10 hours) than natural repellents and so you’ll need to apply them more often if you’re looking for extended protection. But that’s only an inconvenience with no toxic side effects. As with most natural, alternatives, there is always a little inconvenience. But what a small price to pay- don’t you agree?

A trip to your local health food store (if you’ve never visited one) will open a whole new world of ‘chemical-free’ living for you. You can even find safe, herbal, no aluminum deodorants there!

It’s no coincidence that Nature provides effective and gentle remedies for all of our needs, including mosquito repellent. If you have your own herb garden, you might want to experiment in making your own. Some herbs that are known to work are Lavender, Peppermint, Thyme, Citronella, Lemongrass, Chamomile Eucalyptus, Garlic, Basil, Rosemary and Sage. Use what you have growing. Make a strong herbal tea of the fresh leaves. Let the tea cool and either put it in a spray bottle or wipe it directly on the skin. Keep unused portion in the refrigerator and make a new batch every few days.

Mosquitoes especially dislike Lavender and Thyme oils. Use pure essential oil, and dilute it in a base of either water or carrier oil such as sweet almond, sesame, grape seed or safflower. Dilute 2-6 drops of the essential oil into 1 teaspoon of a base oil to use topically. To make a water-based splash, add 5-6 drops essential oil to 1 Tablespoon witch hazel and 4 Tablespoons filtered/spring water. Shake it well and spray on the skin.

One of the best formulas I have found to keep most bothersome insects away is:

• Thyme oil, 4 drops
• Lavender oil, 4 drops
• Peppermint, 4 drops

There are natural alternatives Jean but it takes a little more time and effort. As always, I urge you to do your own research and of course, listen to your innate healing wisdom.

The Immune System: The body's defense department

From the South Dakota Department of Health - Office of Disease Prevention - "West Nile virus disease is a mosquito-borne infection that can cause mild flu-like illness or severe encephalitis. Although chances of a person getting encephalitis are small, there are some simple steps you can take to reduce your risk of being bitten by mosquitoes. Encephalitis is a viral infection. Mild cases may include a slight fever and/or headache. More severe infections are marked by a rapid onset of a high fever with head and body aches. Usually symptoms occur from 5 to 15 days after exposure. There is no specific treatment for viral infections, other than to treat the symptoms and provide supportive care. Those who may be most susceptible to encephalitis are the elderly and persons with damaged immune systems."

Your immune system is your bodyguard, and is not responsive to drugs for healing. By rebuilding immunity, health is naturally restored and disease disappears. If health and immunity are thereafter conscientiously maintained, the individual is no longer vulnerable to disease. According t o Dr. George C Pack, MD, a cancer specialist at Cornell medical School, almost everyone has cancer cells present at times in our bodies. If our immune system is working properly, these cells are killed or reabsorbed by our defense system before they begin to grow and threaten our health. The only real defense against cancer is the immune system. Everyone gets cancer every day but if the immune system is where it should be those cancer cells are eliminated and we never know it