Bug spray poisoning

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For pyrethrins:

Severe asphyxiation can be rapidly life-threatening. For simple exposure or inhalation of small amounts, recovery should occur.

For DEET:

When used as directed in low doses, DEET is relatively nonharmful. It is the preferred bug repellant for the prevention of mosquito born illnesses such as Dengue fever, malaria, and West Nile virus. The low toxicity of DEET compared to the danger of any of those diseases makes applying DEET to repel bugs a sensible choice, even in pregnant women.

Large, intentional overdoses of DEET by swallowing bug spray can be quite serious. How well a patient does depends on the amount and concentration of DEET swallowed and how quickly medical treatment is received. Seizures can lead to permanent brain damage and possibly death.

Review Date: 01/29/2010
Reviewed By: Jacob L. Heller, MD, MHA, Emergency Medicine, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).

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