Risk Assessment to Ag and Forestry Workers and Farm Families of Insecticide-treated versus Non-pesticide treated Mosquito Bite Resistant Clothing

PI: Richard Roe, NCSU

Abstract:  Mosquitoes are a health risk and major nuisance problem in the US to farm workers and their families as well as those employed in forestry.  Mosquitoes transmit human diseases like the West Nile Virus, Lacrosse Encephalitis and the Zika virus in the US.  Recent studies found that mosquitoes have bacteria on their body similar to filth flies, known to cause dysentery, skin and urinary infections and other human diseases.  In addition, blood feeding is uncomfortable and distracting degrading work efficiency and increasing the risk for accidents.  The daily application of insect repellents produce another set of health risks due to pesticide exposure.  One popular option has been the use of insecticide-treated garments, which typically use the synthetic chemical pesticide, permethrin.  In 2021, however, pesticide-free garments (PFGs) were first introduced, more effective in resisting mosquito biting than permethrin treated clothing and efficacious in preventing tick and chigger bites. These PFGs prevent blood feeding using novel textile structure.  There are now competing ideas about which of these approaches best protects skin not covered by clothing like the hands and face.  Both considered equal, people most likely will prefer PFGs. This project is to assess the risk of mosquito blood feeding on uncovered skin for insecticide treated versus non-insecticide treated, mosquito bite resistant clothing and at the same time evaluate bite resistance across each garment type.  Risk will be determined using clothing commercially available for the farm and forestry community.