INFORMATIONAL ITEM

Bed Bugs

The Common Bed Bug, Cimex lectularius                 Bed bug eggs

Good night, sleep tight, and don’t let the bed bugs bite.  This familiar adage has all but lost its meaning for many people.  That may be changing, though. Bed bugs, which were once a common public health pest worldwide, declined in incidence through the mid 20^th century.  In recent years, however, there has been a resurgence of bed bug infestations throughout the United States and worldwide. Although the reasons behind this increase are not completely understood, resistance to pesticides and more extensive world travel of different cultures are suspected possible contributors.

Where are Bed Bugs Found?

Infestations of bed bugs are not limited to dirty, squalid locals as their reputation has led some to believe.  Bedbugs are cosmopolitan and are found in dwellings at all levels of society, regardless of social or economic status.  Bedbugs are readily transported via luggage, clothing, bedding, and furniture.   In addition to private homes, bed bug infestations have been found in hotels, nursing homes, hospitals, public housing, apartment complexes, cruise ships, furniture rental stores, dormitories, and other multi-unit dwellings

Bed Bug Biology and Identification

Bed bugs are small, blood-feeding, wingless insects, 4-5mm long when fully grown, and fast runners.  Some other aspects of bed bugs include:

• They are rust brown in color and change to a deeper red brown following a blood meal. 
• Bed bugs are broadly oval, dorsoventrally flattened, and covered with short golden hairs.
• The adult bed bugs can live, on average, 6-12 months.  All juvenile stages and adults of both sexes require blood for nutrition and development. 

• Female bed bug

  The mouthparts of bed bugs are especially adapted for piercing skin and sucking blood.  Bed bugs respond to the                             warmth and carbon dioxide of a host and quickly locate a suitable feeding site. 

• Most blood feeding occurs at night, and they generally seek shelter during the day
• They can survive for many months without feeding. 
• While their preferred host is human, they will feed on a wide variety of other warm-blooded animals including rodents, rabbits, bats, and even birds.

Recognizing an Infestation

Being an elusive species, bed bugs shelter in a variety of dark locations, mostly close to where people and pets sleep. They tend to stay in close

contact with each other and heavy infestations are accompanied by a distinctive sweet, sickly, musty odor.  Blood spotting on mattresses and nearby furnishings is often a tell tale sign of an infestation. If an infestation is suspected, one should call a professional extermination company for assistance.

Bed bugs hiding under seam of mattress

Recognizing Bed Bug Bites

The sudden appearance of very itchy bites on your torso may be the first evidence of the presence of bed bugs.  It is important to seek medical attention if bites alone are the only evidence of bed bugs.  Doctors may recognize skin rashes, allergies, and other conditions that are not insect bites.  It is also important to keep in mind that several other insects will produce itchy welts very similar to bed bug bites.  This is because mosquitoes, fleas, lice, mites, and bed bugs all inject saliva during the feeding process to thin human blood.  This anti-coagulant material is largely responsible for the “itchiness” of bites.

Medical Importance

Bed bugs, while a significant social problem, do not transmit disease to humans and therefore are not considered vectors.  Some individuals report significant psychological distress, disruption of sleep, nervousness, and agitation when dealing with a bed bug infestation.

How To Prevent Bed Bug Infestations

Human bed bugs are constantly being transported and dispersed in luggage, bedding, and bedroom furniture.  Once transported to a dwelling, bed bugs typically live in cracks and crevices in the bedroom and feed on people during the night time.  There are special precautions that one can follow to minimize the probability of accidentally introducing bed bugs into your home.

· When staying in a hotel, check the mattress as well as both sides of the head board.  If you see any small insects in these locations, they are likely bed bugs. 

· Leave your favorite pillow at home. Bringing it along on your travels increases your chances of bringing bugs back home if your pillow becomes infested. 

· Don’t place your luggage next to the bed when traveling. Find a location as far from the head of the bed as you can to store your luggage.  The same holds true for portable radios or anything the bed bugs could hide in.

· Try to avoid bringing used furniture into your home unless you are confident that bed bugs are not hiding in the cracks and crevices.

Information obtained from CDPH, The Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research, and Harvard University