Garlic as an insect repellent.

To the Editor: Lyme borreliosis is the most common vector-borne disease in Sweden, and as many as 10000 individuals are thought to be affected each year.1 Recent studies have suggested that individual variability in vector attachment may be linked to different body odors.2,3 Other studies suggested that diethyltoluamide is the best repellent against insect vectors and permethrin against ticks, in particular. However, insect repellents may have adverse effects on humans and animals.4 Because military personnel are at particularly high risk for tick bites and tick-borne diseases,5 we conducted a prospective, randomized, doubleblind intervention trial of garlic (Allium sativum) to prevent tick bites among Swedish marines.