Zika Virus Has Social Media Buzzing About Mosquito Repellent

The global scare over the Zika virus outbreak may end up making a far-reaching impact on the business world. The latest data from Ticker Tags provides some unique insight into one possible beneficiary of Zika fears: mosquito repellent sales. Ticker Tags monitors social media sites to identify trends by searching for words or phrases that appear together in social media content, such as tweets.

Social media mentions of “mosquito repellent” have skyrocketed in recent weeks as warmer weather has made the world increasingly concerned about the spread of Zika via mosquito bite. Understandably, the onset of spring typically correlates to a rise in mentions of mosquito repellent on social media. However, after filtering out retweets and promotional messages, the number of social media mentions of “mosquito repellent” is roughly 400 percent higher than it was at the same time one year ago.

Related Link: Zika Concerns Raise Social Chatter For Birth Control; Teva Likely To Benefit

All of this discussion about the risk of Zika infection could be a big boost for repellent makers like Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc. SPB, which owns the Cutter and Repel brands.

Fears about the potential for Zika-related birth defects could also provide a boost tocontraception companies like Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (ADR) TEVA, maker of the Plan B pill.

Disclosure: the author holds no position in the stocks mentioned.