Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Not all mosquito repellents work the same. In this video, Dr. Natascha Tuznik, an infectious disease expert at UC Davis Health, explains which mosquito repellents are backed by scientific evidence and which common products may not provide the protection people expect. Learn about DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, permethrin-treated clothing, spatial repellents such as Thermacell, and why some popular mosquito control methods have important limitations.
Whether you're hiking, camping, birdwatching or simply spending time outdoors this summer, choosing the right mosquito protection can help reduce your risk of mosquito-borne illnesses such as West Nile virus. Watch to learn what works, what doesn't and how to better protect yourself from mosquito bites using evidence-based recommendations from UC Davis Health.
Also watch West Nile Virus Symptoms and Transmission: youtu.be/KEZ61IpcDIs?si=deq0n7GKbuOQUjjC
This video includes an audio description track. To hear the narration of on‑screen text, turn on "English Descriptive" in the player’s settings menu.
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UC Davis Medical Center is a nationally recognized academic medical center offering primary care for all ages, specialty care in 150 fields, and the latest treatment options and expertise for the most complex health conditions. UC Davis Medical Center serves a 65,000-square-mile area that includes 33 counties and 6 million residents across Northern and Central California. The medical center typically admits approximately 30,000 patients per year and handles more than 900,000 visits, while the emergency room sees more than 200 patients per day on average.
UC Davis Medical Center: https://health.ucdavis.edu/medicalcenter/
UC Davis Children’s Hospital: https://health.ucdavis.edu/children/
UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center: https://health.ucdavis.edu/cancer/
UC Davis School of Medicine: https://health.ucdavis.edu/medical-school/
Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis: https://health.ucdavis.edu/nursing/
UC Davis MIND Institute: https://health.ucdavis.edu/mindinstitute/
See the latest news from UC Davis Health: https://health.ucdavis.edu/newsroom
Facebook: facebook.com/UCDavisHealth
Instagram: instagram.com/ucdavishealth
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0:00 Which sprays work best for mosquitoes?
0:42 Does eucalyptus oil repel mosquitoes?
1:06 Does Thermacell repel mosquitoes?
1:39 Does permethrin repel mosquitoes?
2:46 Does citronella repel mosquitoes?
3:19 Do mosquito repellent bracelets work?
3:35 Do bug zappers work on mosquitoes?
The information in this video was accurate as of the upload date, 6/30/26. For information purposes only. Consult your local medical authority for advice.
#MosquitoRepellent #WestNileVirus #Mosquitoes #DEET #Picaridin
Not all mosquito repellents work the same. In this video, Dr. Natascha Tuznik, an infectious disease expert at UC Davis Health, explains which mosquito repellents are backed by scientific evidence and which common products may not provide the protection people expect. Learn about DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, permethrin-treated clothing, spatial repellents such as Thermacell, and why some popular mosquito control methods have important limitations.
Whether you're hiking, camping, birdwatching or simply spending time outdoors this summer, choosing the right mosquito protection can help reduce your risk of mosquito-borne illnesses such as West Nile virus. Watch to learn what works, what doesn't and how to better protect yourself from mosquito bites using evidence-based recommendations from UC Davis Health.
Also watch West Nile Virus Symptoms and Transmission: youtu.be/KEZ61IpcDIs?si=deq0n7GKbuOQUjjC
This video includes an audio description track. To hear the narration of on‑screen text, turn on "English Descriptive" in the player’s settings menu.
——
UC Davis Medical Center is a nationally recognized academic medical center offering primary care for all ages, specialty care in 150 fields, and the latest treatment options and expertise for the most complex health conditions. UC Davis Medical Center serves a 65,000-square-mile area that includes 33 counties and 6 million residents across Northern and Central California. The medical center typically admits approximately 30,000 patients per year and handles more than 900,000 visits, while the emergency room sees more than 200 patients per day on average.
UC Davis Medical Center: https://health.ucdavis.edu/medicalcenter/
UC Davis Children’s Hospital: https://health.ucdavis.edu/children/
UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center: https://health.ucdavis.edu/cancer/
UC Davis School of Medicine: https://health.ucdavis.edu/medical-school/
Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis: https://health.ucdavis.edu/nursing/
UC Davis MIND Institute: https://health.ucdavis.edu/mindinstitute/
See the latest news from UC Davis Health: https://health.ucdavis.edu/newsroom
Facebook: facebook.com/UCDavisHealth
Instagram: instagram.com/ucdavishealth
——
0:00 Which sprays work best for mosquitoes?
0:42 Does eucalyptus oil repel mosquitoes?
1:06 Does Thermacell repel mosquitoes?
1:39 Does permethrin repel mosquitoes?
2:46 Does citronella repel mosquitoes?
3:19 Do mosquito repellent bracelets work?
3:35 Do bug zappers work on mosquitoes?
The information in this video was accurate as of the upload date, 6/30/26. For information purposes only. Consult your local medical authority for advice.
#MosquitoRepellent #WestNileVirus #Mosquitoes #DEET #Picaridin
