Mosquitos have been on the attack lately in Larimer County. As of Aug. 20, there have been a reported 30 cases of West Nile and that number could continue to rise. It is a common practice for people to put on mosquito repellent and that is the end of any worries they may have when it comes to getting bit. But this could be the first problem in and of itself.

 There is a chemical in a lot of mosquito repellents called D.E.E.T. This chemical works great in actually doing its job in deterring mosquitos; however, it is not so good for the body. D.E.E.T. is effective because its neurotoxicity spreads to mosquitos but, it also spreads to humans as well. When the chemical comes into contact with the skin, it doesn’t immediately sink into the bloodstream, but when it does, problems can begin to arise. The chemical first causes neurological damage just as stated above, but once it enters the bloodstream, it goes to the nervous system which has been known for causing seizures and in some cases even death. Military troops who were heavily exposed to D.E.E.T. have reported many of its negative side effects happening to them. Those side effects include: loss of brain cells that control muscle movement, concentration, learning, memory, and more. This is a prime example of what exposure to D.E.E.T. can do, no matter how excessive it is or isn’t.

 Some ways to decrease any chances of getting the side effects of D.E.E.T is to never use it in conjunction with over-the-counter medicine because D.E.E.T. is moderately toxic which in conjunction with the medicine can cause nasty chemical reactions. It is highly recommended to look at how much D.E.E.T. is in the bottle before purchasing it because higher concentration of the chemical obviously increases the user’s chances of getting some of the side effects.

All of this evidence can lead many people to ask why D.E.E.T. is still being used. D.E.E.T. is a really strong mosquito repellent and although it isn’t as safe, it generally beats other options that don’t contain D.E.E.T. because they tend to not repel mosquitos very effectively. D.E.E.T. will continue to be used until a better option arises but that option could already be found. Catnip is a chemical that is ten times more effective than D.E.E.T. and thus far has been shown to be safe to humans. Catnip is continuing to undergo tests but it can be made at home. Other possible solutions are to use soybean oil or natural products.

The public really needs to consider the pros and cons of using mosquito repellent with D.E.E.T. compared to risking the chance of getting bit by mosquitos that can possibly carry West Nile Virus. The goal of this article is not to make people fret about using mosquito repellent, because it is ok to use it, but to make them aware of possible side effects that an overuse of the chemical can have. This is a very serious chemical and is not one to play around with.