{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,24]],"date-time":"2026-08-24T15:32:44Z","timestamp":1787585564937,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":47,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"9","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,24]],"date-time":"2026-08-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1787529600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Insects"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Triatomines are vectors of Chagas disease. Control of Triatoma infestans, one of its main vectors, relies largely on the use of pyrethroid insecticides. However, due to resistance to them as well as environmental concerns, alternative control strategies are required. Here, we evaluated the volatile repellent activity of eucalyptol, carvacrol, carvone, and DEET (N, N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide) under conditions that prevented the contact of the insects with the compounds, and under a human odor background, providing a realistic assessment of repellency for human protection. Importantly, eucalyptol and DEET were tested at low doses. Behavioral assays were conducted in a unidirectional olfactometer, mainly quantifying the following parameters: repellency coefficient (RC, 0 to 1 (1 = maximal repellency)) and biting inhibition. At 10 \u00b5L of pure compound, all chemicals induced strong and significant repellency (RC &gt; 0.85). Eucalyptol and DEET remained highly effective at 1 \u00b5L (RC &gt; 0.88) and continued to elicit significant repellency at 0.1 \u00b5L, whereas both compounds strongly inhibited biting behavior across the tested doses. Overall, our findings are a proof-of-concept suggesting that eucalyptol and DEET are highly effective volatile repellents and bite inhibitors against T. infestans, thus highlighting eucalyptol as a promising complementary alternative to DEET for human protection against Chagas disease.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/insects17090881","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,24]],"date-time":"2026-08-24T14:49:34Z","timestamp":1787582974000},"page":"881","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Repellency of Eucalyptol and DEET Against Triatoma infestans, a Chagas Disease Vector: A Proof-of-Concept Study Under a Human Odor Background"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"17","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5832-2799","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Leandro S.","family":"Wagner","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory Control de Insectos Perjudiciales (Lab CONIPER), Centro de Investigaci\u00f3n Cient\u00edfica y de Transferencia Tecnol\u00f3gica a la Producci\u00f3n (CICYTTP), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cient\u00edficas y T\u00e9cnicas (CONICET), Gob. de la Prov. de Entre R\u00edos, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Entre R\u00edos (UADER), Diamante CP 3105, Entre R\u00edos, Argentina"},{"name":"Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnolog\u00eda, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Entre R\u00edos (UADER), Diamante CP 3105, Entre R\u00edos, Argentina"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Pablo G.","family":"Guerenstein","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory Control de Insectos Perjudiciales (Lab CONIPER), Centro de Investigaci\u00f3n Cient\u00edfica y de Transferencia Tecnol\u00f3gica a la Producci\u00f3n (CICYTTP), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cient\u00edficas y T\u00e9cnicas (CONICET), Gob. de la Prov. de Entre R\u00edos, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Entre R\u00edos (UADER), Diamante CP 3105, Entre R\u00edos, Argentina"},{"name":"Facultad de Ingenier\u00eda, Universidad Nacional de Entre R\u00edos (UNER), Oro Verde CP 3100, Entre R\u00edos, Argentina"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,24]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Gaspe, M.S., Cardinal, M.V., C\u00e1ceres, M., Enriquez, G.F., Santo-Orihuela, P.L., Alvarado-Otegui, J.A., Alvedro, A., Cecere, M.C., Vassena, C.V., and G\u00fcrtler, R.E. (2025). Decade-long persistence of high levels of pyrethroid resistance in Triatoma infestans populations of the Argentine Chaco. Med. Vet. Entomol., mve.12819.","DOI":"10.1111\/mve.12819"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Lidani, K.C.F., Andrade, F.A., Bavia, L., Damasceno, F.S., Beltrame, M.H., Messias-Reason, I.J., and Sandri, T.L. (2019). Chagas disease: From discovery to a worldwide health problem. Front. Public Health, 7.","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2019.00166"},{"key":"ref_3","unstructured":"WHO (World Health Organization) (2026, June 11). WHO. Available online: https:\/\/www.who.int\/news-room\/fact-sheets\/detail\/chagas-disease-(american-trypanosomiasis)."},{"key":"ref_4","first-page":"1037","article-title":"Insecticide resistance of Triatoma infestans (Hemiptera, Reduviidae) vector of Chagas disease in Bolivia","volume":"15","author":"Lardeux","year":"2010","journal-title":"Trop. Med. Int. Health"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"437","DOI":"10.1186\/s13071-021-04942-9","article-title":"Improved vector control of Triatoma infestans limited by emerging pyrethroid resistance across an urban-to-rural gradient in the Argentine Chaco","volume":"14","author":"Gaspe","year":"2021","journal-title":"Parasites Vectors"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"107307","DOI":"10.1016\/j.actatropica.2024.107307","article-title":"Pyrethroid resistance distribution in Triatoma infestans and environmental association along the Argentine endemic zone","volume":"257","author":"Fronza","year":"2024","journal-title":"Acta Trop."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"92","DOI":"10.1186\/s13071-025-06678-2","article-title":"Morphofunctional characteristics of flight-related traits in deltamethrin-resistant and susceptible Triatoma infestans (Klug, 1834) of the Argentinean Chaco","volume":"18","author":"Maza","year":"2025","journal-title":"Parasites Vectors"},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"126779","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chemosphere.2020.126779","article-title":"Synthesis, insecticidal activity, resistance, photodegradation and toxicity of pyrethroids (a review)","volume":"254","author":"Zhu","year":"2020","journal-title":"Chemosphere"},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"105615","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pestbp.2023.105615","article-title":"Pyrethroids toxicity in vertebrates and invertebrates and amelioration by bioactive compounds: A review","volume":"196","author":"Kumar","year":"2023","journal-title":"Pestic. Biochem. Physiol."},{"key":"ref_10","first-page":"1290","article-title":"A scoping review of triatomine control for Chagas disease prevention: Current and developing tools in Latin America and the United States","volume":"61","author":"Tian","year":"2024","journal-title":"J. Med. Entomol."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"664","DOI":"10.1603\/ME12282","article-title":"Repellency of DEET, picaridin, and three essential oils to Triatoma rubida (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae)","volume":"50","author":"Terriquez","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Med. Entomol."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"6","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1365-2915.2000.00213.x","article-title":"Repellency of DEET to nymphs of Triatoma infestans","volume":"14","author":"Alzogaray","year":"2000","journal-title":"Med. Vet. Entomol."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"62","DOI":"10.1111\/eea.12256","article-title":"Lethal and sublethal effects of eucalyptol on Triatoma infestans and Rhodnius prolixus, vectors of Chagas disease","volume":"154","author":"Moretti","year":"2015","journal-title":"Entomol. Exp. Appl."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Dad\u00e9, M.M., Daniele, M.R., Rodriguez, S., D\u00edaz, P., Silvestrini, M.P., Schinella, G.R., Marin, G.H., Barrio, D., and Prieto Garcia, J.M. (2025). Repellent, lethal activity, and synergism of Cannabis sativa extracts with terpenes against a laboratory colony of Triatoma infestans. Plants, 14.","DOI":"10.3390\/plants14213258"},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"387","DOI":"10.37360\/blacpma.20.19.4.26","article-title":"Repellent activity of the essential oil from Laurelia sempervirens (Ruiz & Pav.) Tul. (Monimiaceae) on Triatoma infestans (Klug) (Reduviidae)","volume":"19","author":"Mojica","year":"2020","journal-title":"Bol. Latinoam. Caribe Plan. Med. Aromat."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e3292","DOI":"10.7717\/peerj.3292","article-title":"Toxicity, repellency and flushing out in Triatoma infestans (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) exposed to the repellents DEET and IR3535","volume":"5","author":"Reynoso","year":"2017","journal-title":"PeerJ"},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"101101","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cois.2023.101101","article-title":"Highlights, challenges, and perspectives in basic and applied chemical ecology of triatomines","volume":"59","author":"Manrique","year":"2023","journal-title":"Curr. Opin. Insect Sci."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2068","DOI":"10.1002\/ps.5476","article-title":"Is DEET a dangerous neurotoxicant?","volume":"75","author":"Swale","year":"2019","journal-title":"Pest Manag. Sci."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"142","DOI":"10.1186\/s13071-020-04013-5","article-title":"Novel repellents for the blood-sucking insects Rhodnius prolixus and Triatoma infestans, vectors of Chagas disease","volume":"13","author":"Ortiz","year":"2020","journal-title":"Parasites Vectors"},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"137","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jinsphys.2015.07.012","article-title":"Rhodnius prolixus smells repellents: Behavioral evidence and test of present and potential compounds inducing repellency in Chagas disease vectors","volume":"81","author":"Zermoglio","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Insect Physiol."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"46","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ibmb.2018.10.004","article-title":"Reverse chemical ecology-based approach leading to the accidental discovery of repellents for Rhodnius prolixus, a vector of Chagas diseases refractory to DEET","volume":"103","author":"Franco","year":"2018","journal-title":"Insect Biochem. Mol. Biol."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"235","DOI":"10.1007\/s11101-019-09653-9","article-title":"Commercial development of plant essential oils and their constituents as active ingredients in bioinsecticides","volume":"19","author":"Isman","year":"2020","journal-title":"Phytochem. Rev."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"262","DOI":"10.1007\/s40475-023-00295-8","article-title":"Effectiveness of essential oils and their components against Triatoma infestans (Hemiptera: Reduviidae)","volume":"10","author":"Sosa","year":"2023","journal-title":"Curr. Trop. Med. Rep."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Aftab, T., and Hakeem, K.R. (2021). Bioactive secondary metabolites of medicinal and aromatic plants and their disease-fighting properties. Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: Healthcare and Industrial Applications, Springer International Publishing.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-030-58975-2"},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"382","DOI":"10.1016\/j.indcrop.2018.02.072","article-title":"Beyond mosquitoes\u2014essential oil toxicity and repellency against bloodsucking insects","volume":"117","author":"Benelli","year":"2018","journal-title":"Ind. Crops Prod."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"511","DOI":"10.1603\/033.046.0315","article-title":"Fumigant insecticidal activity and repellent effect of five essential oils and seven monoterpenes on first-instar nymphs of Rhodnius prolixus","volume":"46","author":"Sfara","year":"2009","journal-title":"J. Med. Entomol."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1046","DOI":"10.1603\/ME12248","article-title":"Behavioral and toxicological responses of Rhodnius prolixus and Triatoma infestans (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) to 10 monoterpene alcohols","volume":"50","author":"Moretti","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Med. Entomol."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"39","DOI":"10.1007\/s00359-005-0045-x","article-title":"Spectral sensitivity of the photonegative reaction of the blood-sucking bug Triatoma infestans (Heteroptera: Reduviidae)","volume":"192","author":"Reisenman","year":"2006","journal-title":"J. Comp. Physiol. A"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"148","DOI":"10.1111\/mve.12702","article-title":"How to repel a killer; chemical identification and effective repellent activity of commercial essential oils against kissing bugs","volume":"38","year":"2024","journal-title":"Med. Vet. Entomol."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"133","DOI":"10.1111\/2041-210X.12306","article-title":"Power analysis for generalized linear mixed models in ecology and evolution","volume":"6","author":"Johnson","year":"2015","journal-title":"Methods Ecol. Evol."},{"key":"ref_31","first-page":"1","article-title":"A Tutorial on tailored simulation-based sample-size planning for experimental designs with generalized linear mixed models","volume":"7","author":"Pargent","year":"2024","journal-title":"Adv. Methods Pract. Psychol. Sci."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1431","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jinsphys.2011.07.009","article-title":"Adaptation of the repellency response to DEET in Rhodnius prolixus","volume":"57","author":"Sfara","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. Insect Physiol."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"54","DOI":"10.1037\/1082-989X.11.1.54","article-title":"A better lemon squeezer? maximum-likelihood regression with beta-distributed dependent variables","volume":"11","author":"Smithson","year":"2006","journal-title":"Psychol. Methods"},{"key":"ref_34","unstructured":"Hartig, F., Lohse, L., Leite, M.d.S., and Werneke, C. (2026, June 11). DHARMa: Residual Diagnostics for Hierarchical (Multi-Level\/Mixed) Regression Models 2026. Available online: https:\/\/cran.r-project.org\/web\/packages\/DHARMa\/vignettes\/DHARMa.html."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ignell, R., Lazzari, C., Lorenzo, M., and Hill, S. (2022). Chapter 34: Repellents for mosquito-borne disease control: Beyond the repellency effect. Sensory Ecology of Disease Vectors, Wageningen Academic Publishers.","DOI":"10.3920\/978-90-8686-932-9"},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"127","DOI":"10.1007\/s00049-016-0214-0","article-title":"Prospects for repellent in pest control: Current developments and future challenges","volume":"26","author":"Deletre","year":"2016","journal-title":"Chemoecology"},{"key":"ref_37","unstructured":"Shorey, H.H., and McKelvey, J.J. (1977). Host-related responses and their suppression: Some behavioral considerations. Chemical Control of Insect Behavior: Theory and Application, Wiley."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Debboun, M., Frances, S., and Strickman, D. (2006). Chapter 4: Human emanations and related natural compounds that inhibit mosquito host-finding abilities. Insect Repellents: Principles, Methods and Uses, CRC Press.","DOI":"10.1201\/9781420006650"},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Reisenman, C.E., Lei, H., and Guerenstein, P.G. (2016). Neuroethology of olfactory-guided behavior and its potential application in the control of harmful insects. Front. Physiol., 7.","DOI":"10.3389\/fphys.2016.00271"},{"key":"ref_40","unstructured":"(2026, June 12). IndiaMART Eucalyptol. Available online: https:\/\/dir.indiamart.com\/impcat\/eucalyptol.html."},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Campos, J.F., and Berteina-Raboin, S. (2022). Eucalyptol, an all-purpose product. Catalysts, 12.","DOI":"10.3390\/catal12010048"},{"key":"ref_42","unstructured":"Ultra International B.V. (2026, June 12). Essential Oils Market Report Summer, 2025. Available online: https:\/\/ultranl.com\/market\/market-report-summer-2025\/."},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1293","DOI":"10.1093\/jme\/tjx068","article-title":"The botanical monoterpenes linalool and eugenol flush-out nymphs of Triatoma infestans (Hemiptera: Reduviidae)","volume":"54","author":"Moretti","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Med. Entomol."},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"801","DOI":"10.1016\/0035-9203(80)90207-2","article-title":"The flushing-out activity of pyrethrum and synthetic pyrethroids on Panstrongylus Megistus, a vector of Chagas\u2019s disease","volume":"74","author":"Pinchin","year":"1980","journal-title":"Trans. R. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg."},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Buettner, A. (2017). Individual variation in body odor. Springer Handbook of Odor, Springer International Publishing.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-319-26932-0"},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"100058","DOI":"10.1016\/j.crpvbd.2021.100058","article-title":"Variability in human attractiveness to mosquitoes","volume":"1","author":"Ellwanger","year":"2021","journal-title":"Curr. Res. Parasitol. Vector-Borne Dis."},{"key":"ref_47","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"190","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijpharm.2018.01.046","article-title":"Trends in insect repellent formulations: A review","volume":"539","author":"Tavares","year":"2018","journal-title":"Int. J. Pharm."}],"container-title":["Insects"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2075-4450\/17\/9\/881\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,24]],"date-time":"2026-08-24T15:03:04Z","timestamp":1787583784000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2075-4450\/17\/9\/881"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,24]]},"references-count":47,"journal-issue":{"issue":"9","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9]]}},"alternative-id":["insects17090881"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/insects17090881","relation":{},"ISSN":["2075-4450"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2075-4450","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,24]]}}}