Citronella overrated

Using citronella-based mosquito repellent does not offer you any protection against malaria or other mosquito-borne diseases.

The latest edition of the British Medical Journal advises doctors to ensure patients travelling to malaria areas take prophylactic malaria medicine and use DEET-based cream on exposed skin.

DEET, or NN-Diethyl-meta-toluamide, in creams is the only ingredient proven to work against disease-carrying mosquitoes.

The journal said studies had not proven citronella oil prevented mosquito-borne diseases.

Pharmacy chain stores Clicks and Dis-Chem said they never claimed that citronella products prevented malaria transmission.

Clicks spokesperson, Susann Caminada, said: "Clicks does not market the citronella range as a repellent. Our packaging stipulates: 'known to keep mosquitoes at bay'."

Dis-Chem operations director Brian Epstein said: "Dis-Chem would never advise anyone to rely solely on a natural or citronella-based repellent if they are going into a mosquito-risk area."

The South African clinical guidelines to prevent malaria recommend medicine and a cream or spray with DEET, such as Tabard and Peaceful Sleep. It says citronella creams must be reapplied every 40 to 90 minutes.