Health Effects in Laboratory Animals

DEET (N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide)
Chemical Technical Summary for Public Health
and Public Safety Professionals

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Atlanta, Georgia
December 6, 2004

Toxic effects of DEET have been studied extensively in laboratory animals. Dermal exposure can produce dermatitis and mild erythema on the skin at the site of contact of animals. Most attention regarding DEET exposure has been directed toward assessing its potential for neurotoxicity. Depending on the exposure dose (generally very high) and species of laboratory animal tested, DEET has been shown to cause neurological and behavioral effects, including ataxia, locomotor impairment, restlessness, seizures, encephalopathy, respiratory distress, neurotoxicity, and even death. Studies of health effects of DEET in laboratory animals are summarized in Table 2 [PDF - 99 KB]

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