CLOTHING IMPREGNATIONS OF DIBUTYLPHTHALATE AND PERMETHRIN AS PROTECTANTS AGAINST A CHIGGER MITE, EUTROMBICULA-HIRSTI (ACARI, TROMBICULIDAE)

A field study to compare the effects of wearing military uniforms treated with permethrin or dibutylphthalate as protection against the chigger Eutrombicula hirsti (Sambon) was conducted in northern Queensland, Australia, during November 1990. Volunteers who wore treated uniforms received significantly fewer chigger attachments than individuals who wore untreated uniforms. Australian military uniforms treated with dibutylphthalate provided a 97.6% increase in protection, whereas uniforms treated with 0.058-0.101 mg/cm2 permethrin provided 96.4% protection. U.S. Army uniforms treated with 0.125 mg/cm2 permethrin provided 83.2% protection. The differences between the clothing treatments were not significant. The results show that wearing clothing impregnated with either compound is an effective method for personal protection against E. hirsti.