The United States has recorded 504 human West Nile virus cases across 41 states, including 363 of the more serious neuroinvasive form, according to CDC surveillance data current through Sept. 8. A national survey released two days later found that only about one in three adults knows the basic rule for using repellent alongside sunscreen, and fewer than one in five knows what to look for when choosing a repellent.
That combination is the story heading into the final weeks of mosquito season. The Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania found that 82 percent of adults correctly identified preventing bites and controlling mosquitoes in and around the home as the best defense against West Nile and dengue, and that 64 percent say they routinely take precautions. Execution is where households fall short, and the details that go wrong determine whether repellent works.
