For Your Health: Bedbugs

Jan Morrow

According to MAYO Clinic bedbugs are small, reddish-brown parasitic insects that bite the exposed skin of sleeping humans and animals to feed on their blood. They aren’t known to spread disease but can cause other public health and economic issues. They are about the size of an apple seed and hide in the cracks and crevices of beds, box springs, headboard, bed frames and any other objects around a bed.

Bedbugs can move from one site to another by traveling on items such as clothing, luggage, furniture, boxes and bedding. They can crawl about as fast as a ladybug and can travel between floors and rooms in hotels or apartment complexes. Bedbugs don’t care if their environment is clean or dirty. All they need is a warm host and plenty of hiding places.

Risk Factors: They are more common in crowded lodgings that experience high turnover in occupancy such as apartment complexes, dorm rooms, homeless shelters, hotels, cruise ships, trains and buses.

Treatment and prevention: According to the Centers for Diseases (CDC) minimal treatment and good hygiene to prevent itching and secondary infections are usually sufficient treatment for most cases. There are a wide range of treatments, including antibiotics, antihistamines, topical and oral corticosteroids and epinephrine have been used for bite reactions with varying results.

Basically, we need to go back to the days where mattresses, rugs, pillows, etc. were taken outside and aired out. Sunshine helps not only with our Vitamin D but gives good results in killing germs. Folks need to wash linens, sheets, pillowcases, etc. in hot water and use the dryer to keep down the bacteria and germs.

For more information on bedbugs, there is additional information on the MAYO Clinic and CDC websites.