Do Commercial Insect Repellents Provide Protection against the Tick Amblyomma sculptum (Acari: Ixodidae)?

• DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13010009
• Publication Date: 2023-12-21T10:36:12Z
• Authors: Beatriz Rodrigues...; Nathália Gabriela...; Mayara Macedo Bar...; Francisca Letícia...; Ana Lúcia Coutinh...; Lainny Martins Pe...; Viviane Zeringóta; Caio Márcio de Ol...; Chesterton Ulysse...; Marcos Takashi Obara
• Keywords: DEET; Amblyomma americanum

Amblyomma sculptum is a species of public health interest because it associated with the transmission bacteria that causes Brazilian Spotted Fever (BSF). The use repellents on humans prophylactic measure widely used to provide protection against series arthropod vectors, including mosquitoes and ticks. However, in Brazil, effectiveness commercial A. little known. Therefore, necessary carry out specific studies evaluate repellency these products, registered for mosquitoes, star tick. main goal present work was six sculptum. Unfed nymphs, aged between two eight weeks, were tested products based DEET (OFF!® Repelex®), Icaridin (Exposis® SBP®), IR3535 (Johnsons Henlau). Three bioassays conducted tick behavior: (i) filter paper, (ii) fingertip, (iii) field. All bases showed high repellent activity, differing significantly (p < 0.05) from control. It observed formulation resulted best results paper bioassay. In fingertip bioassay, base repelled greater number ticks compared Icaridin. field there no significant difference DEET, both formulations differed control 0.05). percentages ticks; however, bioassays, OFF!®, Repelex®, Exposis® as they better performance test. OFF!® percentage (100%), followed by Repelex® (96.8%), (93.1%), considering two-hour period bioassay-field-test. Proving market presented this study crucial, since ectoparasite can transmit Rickettsia rickettsii when infected. insect other parasitize also be explored.