Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Gainesville, Florida » Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology » Mosquito and Fly Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #308232
Title: Factors that affect the mosquito repellency of permethrin-treated U.S. military uniforms

Author
item Bernier, Ulrich
item PERRY, MELYNDA - Natick Soldier Center
item JOHNSON, AMY - Natick Soldier Center

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/17/2014
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: In the late 1970s, the USDA-ARS explored permethrin treatment of US Military combat uniforms as a means to protect personnel from the arthropod bites. Permethrin became the standard uniform impregnate in 1991 and is currently the only approved insecticide for use in U.S. military combat uniforms. For the first decade, field treatment methods were the predominate method for application of permethrin to these fabrics. At present, factory treatment of uniforms with permethrin is the most common method of treating combat uniforms. The use of binders during permethrin application in the factory produces uniforms that retain permethrin for longer durations. This process is the only allowable treatment method for the newer uniforms that contain fire resistant materials. To assess the efficacy of uniforms, a bite protection protocol was developed by USDA-ARS in 2005 and employed in 2006-2007 to evaluate the level at which US Marine Corps Combat Utility Uniforms prevented mosquitoes from biting through the fabric. Uniforms were evaluated after treatment with no washes, after 20, and after 50 standardized wash cycles. The US Marine Corps was the first service branch that transitioned to a supply of combat uniforms that were entirely treated at the factory level. Since that time, the US Army has transitioned to uniforms that are treated at the factory level. During the past eight years of research on uniforms, much has been learned about the factors that contribute to the overall bite protection performance of fabrics. This talk will cover the aspects of treatment and fabric construction as they relate to the ability of bite protection that results from permethrin-treated uniforms.