The bedbugs are back for revenge. After an absence of around 70 years, thanks to effective pesticides like DDT, they have been showing up in fancy hotels, spas, department stores, subways, movie theaters, and of course, in people’s homes.
I’m a public health entomologist.. In the course of my work, I have studied these little bloodsuckers, even letting bedbugs feast on my own appendages in the name of science. Nobody likes dealing with bedbugs – and there are ways to minimize your chances of needing it.
CDC/Janice Haney Carr, CC BY
Know your bed bug enemy
common bedbug, Cimex lectularius, has been a parasite of humans for thousands of years. Historically, these tiny bloodsuckers were common in human dwellings around the world, giving real meaning to the old saying “sleep well, don’t let the bedbugs bite you.” They had almost disappeared in developing countries until the mid-1990s, when making a comeback due to the restriction or loss of certain pesticides, changes in pest control practices, and increased international travel. in many areas all over the world now a major urban pest.
Jerome Goddard
Adult bed bugs are less than a quarter inch long (about 5 mm), oval and flattened, and resemble unfeeding ticks or small cockroaches. Tucked back under the head, they have a long proboscis, a tubular mouthpart that they can extend to feed on blood. It only takes three to 10 minutes for a bed bug to consume up to six times its weight in blood in one meal.
Jerome Goddard
Adults are reddish-brown in color, while babies are extremely small and yellowish-white. They hide in cracks and crevices, usually within a few feet of a bed, emerging only to feed on an unsuspecting host. They then run back to their hiding places, where they mate and lay eggs.
Homes can become infested with thousands of tiny bloodthirsty pests on the mattress and box spring, where they leave telltale black fecal stains. In severe infestations there may be thick faeces, hundreds of skin sheds, and eggs several millimeters thick.
Major health impacts may be psychological
Bed bugs have been suspect in transmission of more than 40 pathogenic organisms, but there are little evidence that bed bugs transmit human pathogenswith the possible exception of the microorganism that causes Chagas disease. Extreme infestations can, in rare cases, lead to blood loss severe enough to cause anemia.
Their major medical impacts they are related to annoying bites and the associated itching and inflammation. The most common bite reactions are itchy red spots at feeding sites They usually go away in a week or so. Some people have complex skin reactions, including hives Y blistersor allergic responses.
Jerome Goddard and Kristine T. Edwards
Then there are the bedbugs emotional and psychological effects on their victims. Encounters with these parasites can trigger nervousness, anxiety, and insomnia. Bed bugs commonly come with a side effect of constant worry and feelings of embarrassment. A distraught Canadian put it this way:
“To be honest, until you go through [an infestation]You have no idea how horrible it really is. It is natural for you to become paranoid; you lose sleep, you end up dreaming and thinking about bed bugs, they just consume every fiber of your being.”
A study of people exposed to bedbugs found that about half reported sleeping difficulties and social withdrawal associated with the infestation.
My colleague and I analyzed 135 internet posts about bed bug infestations. The majority, 81% of the publications, reported three or more behaviors commonly associated with PTSD: reactions such as reliving the event through intrusive memories and nightmares, startle responses, and hypervigilance. Six posts detailed intense and repeated cleanings of homes or offices. Five posts reported persistent avoidance of people, activities, and places that could lead to insect transmission or arouse memories of the original encounter. And five posts detailed suicidal thoughts or attempts. There are other anecdotal reports of suicides or drug overdoses by people fighting bedbugs.
HJ Harlan, US Armed Forces Pest Management Board, CC BY
How to protect yourself from bedbugs
Not all hotel rooms have bed bugs, but some do. Simple precautions can help protect you and your belongings from infestation.
Leave all unnecessary items in your vehicle, such as extra clothing, gear, and equipment. When you first enter your hotel room, put your luggage in the bathroom until you’ve had a chance to inspect the place. Remove the sheets and check the mattress and box spring for live bed bugs or black stool stains. If bugs or suspicious signs of infestation are found, go to the front desk and ask for another room. Because bed bugs don’t usually travel far on their own, other, non-adjacent rooms can be perfectly clear of parasites.
Keeping bed bugs out of houses and apartments can be difficult, especially if you travel a lot. After traveling, unpack your luggage outside or in the garage, and wash all clothing in your luggage in hot water and tumble dry on high heat if possible. A hair dryer is a great tool in the fight against bed bugs. Bed bugs can also get into your home on used furniture or items purchased at thrift stores or garage sales. Be sure to disinfect, more precisely, “disinfect”, those types of items. It’s a good idea to never buy used mattresses or beds, no matter how good the bargain.
What can you do if you are forced to face these bloodsuckers? A bed bug infestation found in a hotel room should be reported to management immediately. If you find bed bugs in your house or apartment, or in thrift stores, it’s best not to try to spray them yourself with over-the-counter pesticides. My recommendation is to contact a competent pest exterminator, who will either treat the space with pesticides, use complex heat systems, or both to kill the bugs.
Try not to panic. Keep in mind that bed bugs are just insects. They are not magical. Believe me, they can be killed and removed from a dwelling.
