Every year, ticks (small arachnid parasites that feed on the blood of mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians) expand their range across Canada, moving northward by 35–55km every year alongside climate change, animal migration, and land fragmentation.
With their habitat expansion, the risk of human tick-borne infections is increasing, with those who spend the most time outdoors being the most vulnerable. Nova Scotia has the highest number of Lyme disease infections per capita of any Canadian Province, with 85.6 incidence per 1,000 population. That’s a lot, and one Associate Professor at Acadia University is working to slow that down with an all-natural tick repellent.
Dr. Nicoletta Faraone (Associate Professor in Acadia University’s Chemistry Department) leads the university’s Canadian Tick Research and Innovation Center. She researches ticks and natural products to understand how ticks detect repellents and attractants, collaborating with the Nova Scotia company Atlantic to create a natural fabric spray that’s applied to clothing and camping gear.
Ticks have very poor vision and rely heavily on their sense of smell. By studying their chemical senses, Faraone created the repellent using essential oils. It’s not available to the public quite yet, but it’s currently undergoing Health Canada Registration and is expected to launch next year.
For her work, Faraone earned a Mitacs Innovation Award for Outstanding Innovation. The product will serve as an alternative to the synthetic insect repellents common today, like DEET.
