Anaphylaxis Associated with Insect Repellent

Abstract

To the Editor: I wish to report a case of anaphylactic hypersensitivity to diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET), a topically applied insect repellent.After a game of tennis, a 42-year-old woman with no prior atopic history touched a companion who had just sprayed himself with an insect repellent containing 52 per cent DEET. Generalized pruritus rapidly developed and progressed to generalized angioedema. The woman was rushed to an emergency room, becoming nauseated en route and losing consciousness. On arrival her blood pressure was 70/40 mm Hg. The patient responded to treatment with parenteral epinephrine, diphenhydramine, and corticosteroids. A week later — again, . . .