Pyrethroids Provide Protection Against Insects that Compromise Food Security & Endanger Public Health
FEATURED NEWS
A Simple Wrap Making a Big Difference: New Study Finds Treated Cloths Cut Malaria in Babies by 66%
March 18, 2026
A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, one of the world’s most respected medical journals, has found that a simple, culturally familiar tool could dramatically cut malaria rates among young children in Africa. These wraps, known locally as lesu, are used daily by mothers to carry and cover their babies.
Why are Pyrethroids Important?
Pyrethroids have been used for over 70 years by governments, homeowners, farmers and commercial pest control operators. They are a class of synthetic insecticides designed to improve on the insecticidally active products found in Chrysanthemum plant powders known as pyrethrum. Pyrethroids have emerged as some of the most trusted, reliable and effective tools for combating pests that spread dangerous diseases and destroy crops.
Global Human Health
Pyrethroids are also critical for protecting human health from many infectious diseases carried by pests, including Lyme disease, Zika virus and West Nile virus. Pyrethroid impregnated mosquito nets have proved to be one of the most effective ways to reduce malaria transmission in areas of the world where the scourge is endemic.
Food Security
Pyrethroids provide a wide range of benefits to society by offering growers a proven way to control a broad spectrum of agricultural insect pests which reduce growth and yields of over 120 crops which provide food and fiber to millions of Americans and people around the world.
Animal Health
Veterinarians depend on pyrethroids for protecting livestock and horses from disease. Pet owners rely on them for preventing fleas and ticks from infecting from infecting their dogs.
Consumer Protection
Homes, Gardens + Restaurants: Pyrethroids are an important tool used by both consumers and professionals to control insects such as ants, bed bugs, cockroaches, spiders, and other nuisance pests in the home or outdoor garden/landscape. Professional pest control companies rely on this class of chemistry to keep residential, commercial, and food-service areas free from insect pests.
Pyrethroids Provide Protection Against Insects that
Compromise Food Security & Endanger Public Health
Pyrethroids are a group of insecticides that were designed to improve upon the insecticidally active natural compound found in Chrysanthemum plant powders, known as pyrethrum.
The Pyrethroids Resource Center is a place where you can find credible, science-based information about the pyrethroid class of pesticides and better inform yourself about their strict regulatory oversight, grounding in research and the many benefits associated with their use. This is one of several public education programs funded by the Pyrethroid Working Group (PWG).
News Articles
The following represents the latest information, news, trends and research involving pyrethroids. This and previous items are intended to underscore the important benefits of pyrethroids and respond to misinformation that often circulates online.
March 18, 2026
A Simple Wrap Making a Big Difference: New Study Finds Treated Cloths Cut Malaria in Babies by 66%
A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, one of the world’s most respected medical journals, has found that a simple, culturally familiar tool could dramatically cut malaria rates among young children in Africa. These wraps, known locally as lesu, are used daily by mothers to carry and cover their babies.
November 13, 2025
A New Approach to Protecting Children from Malaria: Proven Results Published in the New England Journal of Medicine
A groundbreaking study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) has shown that a simple, culturally rooted innovation can dramatically reduce malaria infections in young children.
October 15, 2025
Pest Prevention is a Matter of Health
Children should see the world as an adventure: crawling through grass, exploring playgrounds, and chasing butterflies in the yard. But in all these places, pests lurk that can silently harm them.
