The whole world will be in a soccer frenzy from June 12 to July 13, 2014. Those who cannot experience the World Cup live in Brazil will be rooting for their teams in front of the television or outdoors at a public viewing area. Fans in this case should make sure they have an effective mosquito and tick repellent, such as a product based on the active ingredient Saltidin from Saltigo GmbH.

Parasitologist Prof. Heinz Mehlhorn, Executive Board Member of the World Federation of Parasitologists, points out that “the insects can transmit pathogens of human diseases that are no longer found exclusively in rural and urban regions in the tropics, but increasingly also in temperate zones where they are not normally expected to appear. They have become a worldwide risk to human health. Effective protection against blood-feeding insects therefore is a number one priority, because without a bite, there's no infection.”

The Saltigo active ingredient Saltidin – in chemical terms 1-(1-methylpropoxycarbonyl)-2-(-2-hydroxyethyl)piperidine or simply icaridin – is not an insecticide. It simply repels insects by acting on their odorant receptors, disabling their ability to recognize humans as blood donors. Consumer organizations give top marks to insect repellents containing the active ingredient Saltidin, and it is recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the substance of choice for malaria prophylaxis. “Unlike other repellents, Saltidin does not attack coatings or plastics and is virtually odorless. Furthermore, it does not have a sticky feel on the skin,” says Dr. Christoph Peters, Saltidin Business Manager at Saltigo.

The active ingredient is used by numerous manufacturers worldwide to formulate insect repellents. It does not irritate the skin and has already provided effective protection to millions of people. Saltidin repels a variety of blood-feeding insects, such as ticks. The imperceptible bites from this 350 million year-old species of mite can transmit bacteria and viruses into the body, causing serious diseases such as Lyme and tick-borne encephalitis. According to the Robert Koch Institute, the number of tick-borne encephalitis cases in Germany doubled from 2012 to 2013. But a variation of the virus is also prevalent in many European countries and numerous regions of Asia, such as Siberia, China and Japan, where it occurs over a very large geographical area.

Mosquito repellent even under the Brazilian sun

Soccer fans and players in Brazil should make especially sure they are suitably protected against mosquitoes, as people should do everywhere in the tropics. “Dengue fever is the tropical viral infection tourists most frequently bring home with them. The only means of prevention is to avoid mosquito bites,” says Mehlhorn. “To prevent bites, wear fairly thick clothing all day that covers the body, meaning long pants and long sleeves. Apply mosquito repellent to the skin even during the day, also 2 to 3 centimeters up under the sleeves and pant legs. In hotel rooms, it helps to have air conditioning and a mosquito net over the bed.”

In the Brazilian state of Bahia, where the German players will be setting up camp, the Egyptian tiger mosquito was found in 30 percent of all households. Known also as the yellow fever mosquito, this insect was introduced to South America from Africa. Because of the risk of an outbreak, government authorities already issued a dengue fever high alert in early 2014. According to estimates of the World Health Organization (WHO), at least 100 million people a year are infected with the disease, also known as breakbone fever, the symptoms of which are similar to a severe flu and which in the worst case can be fatal. The incubation period is three to 14 days.

The virus cannot be transmitted by direct contact from person to person, because the mosquito must always serve as an intermediate host for the infectious disease to spread. The viruses multiply inside the female mosquitoes and are transmitted to humans through their bite. In contrast to the malaria mosquito, the tiger mosquito bites both during the day and evening.

Detailed information for mosquito repellent consumers and producers is available on the internet at www.saltidin.com. The site also offers tips and tricks for enjoying the outdoors without getting bitten, be it on a family outing, at a public viewing area, or on vacation.


Saltigo GmbH is a leading supplier in the field of custom synthesis. The company of specialty chemicals group LANXESS belongs to the Advanced Intermediates segment, which achieved total sales in 2013 of EUR 1,647 million. Saltigo, headquartered in Leverkusen and with production facilities in Leverkusen and Dormagen, employs around 1,200 staff worldwide.