The Need for Future Research on the Impact of Essential Oil Repellents in Patch Form to Prevent Mosquito Bites

There exists a large body of research indicating repellent properties of various essentials oil (EO) formulations, with a particular emphasis on repellant impact on multiple mosquito species with the ability to carry and spread diseases such as dengue, malaria and Zika virus. This presents an alternative to chemical repellents such as N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET) that have been identified as effective in repelling potentially harmful mosquitos yet toxic to human and environmental health. The literature suggests EOs represent a safer and less toxic alternative for humans and the broader environment. In addition, recent research indicates diminishing effect of chemical repellents as resistance is developed. This same phenomenon has not been reported for EOs yet their widespread use is limited by their relatively short active times for repellant actions given high compound volatility. To date, microencapsulation and nanoencapsulation of EOs has been identified as a promising practice. However, additional vectors of EO application use such as the use of EO patches for commercial distribution lacks research with only one published article currently available showing promising repellent properties for mosquitos. This article emphasizes the literature supporting the use of EOs and the opportunity for future research using patch applications for tolerability, access and duration in human repellants.