“Learn how to prevent, rid bedbugs”

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Learn how to prevent, rid bedbugs Posted: 06 Feb 2011 08:57 PM PST Bedbugs don't spread disease, but their bite is annoying. The appleseed-size insects also aren't always associated with unsanitary living conditions. Area health departments will attempt to separate fact from fiction about the insects, which once were thought to be eradicated but are making a comeback across the United States, at a seminar set for Wednesday at the Massillon Knights of Columbus, 988 Cherry Road NE. Separate classes will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. The public is invited to attend, but reservations are required. The seminar is an outgrowth of the Bedbug Prevention Task Force, which was formed last fall by Stark's four health departments, according to Massillon Health Commissioner Terri Argent. The goal of the task force is to promote awareness and prevention of the bedbug problem among social-service agencies, hotels, hospitals and furniture rental stores. More than 300 organizations have been invited to attend the seminar. "This is an introductory seminar. We're going to see where it goes from here ... I know, for our sake, we hope to learn more because we don't really have the answer," said William Franks, Stark County Health Commissioner. "All four health departments have dealt with it. We do get calls from hotels."    FOCUS ON EDUCATION At this point, local health departments are treating bedbugs as a nuisance, rather than a public health risk because they do not transmit diseases. Secondary skin infections can occur as a result of scratching, Argent said. "We decided it was a health issue because it is a nuisance, so we want to make more people aware that they exist," Argent said. "The purpose of the coalition is to try to help people and provide the best information." Typically, bedbugs, which feed on human and animal blood, live near sleeping areas, including the crevices of mattresses and box springs, according to the Ohio Department of Health. Before World War II, bedbug infestations were common in the U.S., but they were nearly eliminated through improvements in hygiene and the widespread use of DDT in the 1940s and 1950s, according to The Associated Press. However, their population has been increasing over the last decade. A handful of infestations have been reported in hotels and residences in Stark County, including Massillon, in the last two years. "We've had calls for them here in Massillon. I've been here for 13 years and we had not had anything before then," Argent said. BEDBUG POPULATION BOOM Experts say bedbugs are thriving because they have developed a resistance to pesticides. The insects also are being transported over long distances through luggage, purses, clothing and furniture, Argent said. "When you go on a vacation, keep luggage off the floor and never put clothes in a drawer in a hotel. If you find them in a hotel, leave," Argent said. Exterminators also are killing fewer bedbugs because of U.S. EPA restrictions on the use of conventional baseboard sprays against cockroaches. The bait being used to kill cockroaches does not affect bedbugs, Argent said. What are bedbugs?  Bedbugs (Timex lectularius) are small, flat, parasitic insects that feed solely on the blood of people and animals while they sleep. Bedbugs are reddish-brown in color, wingless, range from 1mm to 7mm (roughly the size of Lincoln's head on a penny), and can live several months without a blood meal. Where are bedbugs found?  Bedbugs are found across the globe from North and South America, to Africa, Asia and Europe. Although the presence of bedbugs has traditionally been seen as a problem in developing countries, it has recently been spreading rapidly in parts of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and other parts of Europe. Bedbugs have been found in five-star hotels and resorts and their presence is not determined by the cleanliness of the living conditions where they are found. Bedbug infestations usually occur around or near the areas where people sleep. These areas include apartments, shelters, rooming houses, hotels, cruise ships, buses, trains, and dorm rooms. They hide during the day in places such as seams of mattresses, box springs, bed frames, headboards, dresser tables, inside cracks or crevices, behind wallpaper, or any other clutter or objects around a bed. Bedbugs have been shown to be able to travel over 100 feet in a night but tend to live within 8 feet of where people sleep. Do bedbugs spread disease?  Bedbugs should not be considered as a medical or public health hazard. Bedbugs are not known to spread disease. Bedbugs can be an annoyance because their presence may cause itching and loss of sleep. Sometimes the itching can lead to excessive scratching that can sometimes increase the chance of a secondary skin infection. What health risks do bedbugs pose?  A bedbug bite affects each person differently. Bite responses can range from an absence of any physical signs of the bite, to a small bite mark, to a serious allergic reaction. Bedbugs are not considered to be dangerous; however, an allergic reaction to several bites may need medical attention. What are the signs and symptoms of a bedbug infestation?  One of the easiest ways to identify a bedbug infestation is by the tell-tale bite marks on the face, neck, arms, hands or any other body parts while sleeping. However, these bite marks may take as long as 14 days to develop in some people so it is important to look for other clues when determining if bedbugs have infested an area.These signs include:  The bedbugs' exoskeletons after molting,  Bedbugs in the fold of mattresses and sheets,  Rusty–colored blood spots due to their blood-filled fecal material that they excrete on the mattress or nearby furniture, and How to respond to a bedbug infestation?  Remove clutter such as pictures, books and clothing from the infested area, so there are fewer places for the bugs to hide.  Vacuum to remove some of the bedbugs; eggs are glued in place and can't be removed by vacuuming alone. They must be scraped off.  Infested items such as clothing, shoes, bedding and blankets can be placed in a clothes dryer on high heat for 20 minutes to kill bedbugs and their eggs.  Mattresses and box springs may be enclosed in a bedbug-proof zippered cover to kill the bugs inside. The cover should remain in place for more than one year, because bedbugs can survive a long time without feeding. Source: Ohio Department of Health This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php Five Filters featured article: Collateral Damage - WikiLeaks In The Crosshairs.

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