Clothing for protection against mosquito bites

Clothing for protection against mosquito bites

• within the limits of practicality, cover up with loose-fitting clothing, long sleeves, long trousers and socks if out of doors after sunset, to minimise accessibility to skin for biting mosquitoes. There is no evidence that the colour of clothing is relevant to mosquitoes
  
  
• clothing may be sprayed or impregnated with an insecticide, for example permethrin or purchased pre-treated to reduce biting through the clothing
  
  
• as an alternative, cotton clothing (for example socks) can be sprayed with DEET
  
  
• DEET is useful as a clothing repellent but its duration on clothing is shortened due to its volatility
  
  
• DEET preparations for use only on clothing are commercially available

Reference:

• Public Health England. Guidelines for malaria prevention in travellers from the UK 2019