A number of preventive measures for the protection of humans against
tick-borne diseases were evaluated. Measures involving the avoidance of
tick bites with the use of
protective clothing and
insect repellents are the simplest and most effective. Repellents are applied directly to the skin or clothing and other fabrics, such as bednets, tents and anti-mosquito screens. Currently,
DEET (
N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide) is considered the most efficient arthropod repellent reference substance. The registered and recommended active repellent ingredients for skin and/or cloths application, among others, are:
DEET, 1-methyl-propyl-2- (hydroxyethyl)-1-piperidinecarboxylate (
picaridin),
p-menthane-3,8-diol (PMD), ethyl butylactyloaminopropionate (
IR3535), 1S,2S-2-methylpiperidinyl-3-cyclohexene-1-carboxamide (
SS220), racemic 2-methylpiperidinyl-3-cyclohexene-1-carboxamide (AI3-37220) and synthethic
pyrethroid - 3-phenoxybenzyl-cis-trans-3(2,2 dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropancarboxylate (
permethrin) - an
acaricide with repellent properties. To achieve the protection from
tick bites by avoiding attachment and/or engorgement by the arthropod,
acaricides with repellent properties, such as synthetic
pyrethroid-
permethrin are used. This
pyrethroid is an
acaricide of choice used for clothing impregnation, which is effective for personal protection against all three parasitic stages of western black-legged ticks. Products based on natural compounds, e.g.
eugenol from Ocimum basilicum,
2-undecanone originally derived from wild tomato,
geraniol - a
natural product extracted from plants, and many others, represent an interesting alternative to common synthetic repellents and/or
acaricides.