Bedbug infestations on rise across U.S.
By KATE BRUMBACK, Associated Press Writer Aug 7,
2006
After waking up one night in sheets teeming with tiny
bugs, Josh Benton couldn't sleep for months and kept a flashlight and can of
Raid with him in bed.
"We were afraid to even tell people about it at first," Benton
said of the bedbugs in his home. "It feels like maybe some way your living
is encouraging this, that you're living in a bad neighborhood or have a
dirty apartment."
Absent from the U.S. for so long that some thought they were a
myth, bedbugs are back.
Entomologists and pest control professionals are reporting a dramatic
increase in bedbug infestations throughout the country, and no one knows
exactly why.
"It's no secret that bedbugs are making a comeback," said Dan
Suiter, an associate professor of entomology at the University of Georgia.
Before World War II, bedbug infestations were common in the U.S.,
but they were virtually eradicated through improvements in hygiene and the
widespread use of DDT in the 1940s and 1950s.
Bedbugs are tiny brownish, flattened insects that feed exclusively
on the blood of animals and humans. Bedbug bites may cause itchy red welts
or swelling.
Unlike mosquitoes, though, they are not known to transmit
blood-borne diseases from one victim to another. They are extremely
resilient and very difficult to exterminate.
Experts say bedbugs are not necessarily an indicator of unsanitary
conditions.
In the past four years, reports of bedbugs have significantly
increased in U.S. cities, from New York to Honolulu, especially in hotels,
hospitals and college dormitories — all places with high resident turnover.
The National Pest Management Association, which represents many of
the country's pest control companies, says the number of bedbug reports have
increased fivefold in four years.
The Atlanta branch of pest-control firm Terminix saw no cases of
bedbugs in 2004 and only three or four last year. But in the first six
months of this year, they've had 23 new cases, said Clint Briscoe, a
spokesman.
Experts are not entirely sure what has caused the marked increase.
Some speculate that increased international travel and immigration may be
partially to blame.
The tiny bugs may be hitching a ride in the luggage or
clothing of travelers. This could explain the high concentration of the
pests in cities like Atlanta and New York, which attract a lot of
international traffic.
Another factor is a change in pest control practices. Companies
are spraying more responsibly now, Suiter said. Instead of indiscriminately
saturating the perimeter of all rooms, they often use more conservative
measures and do large-scale spray treatments only when there's an
infestation. As a result of consumer demand, less toxic chemicals are also
being used.
"The bottom line is it may be a convergence of all those factors,
but none of that really explains the rapid increase in recent years," said
Michael Potter, a professor and urban entomologist at the University of
Kentucky.
Experts agree that the public needs to be educated about bedbugs —
on the symptoms and how to prevent them.
"A lot of people, including some physicians, don't even think
they're real," Potter said. As a result people may go months before
realizing the source of their discomfort.
In Hawaii, where tourism is a major industry, state lawmakers
passed a resolution for a prevention campaign after infestations at some
hotels damaged their reputations and annoyed travelers. Similarly,
legislation for a bedbug task force has been proposed by New York City
Councilwoman Gail Brewer.
For Benton, a 31-year-old graduate student, the bedbugs sparked a
seven-month battle that included bug bombs and the tossing out of his and
his fiancee's bedroom furniture.
They gave up and moved out of their apartment in New York and
eventually moved back to their native Memphis, Tenn. Benton said the bugs
essentially drove them out of New York because they couldn't sleep knowing
the bugs may be anywhere.
"The main part of it is psychological trauma that they create
because of the idea that they are feeding on you at night," Benton said.
"It's still hard to talk about if it's anywhere near bedtime."
___
On the Net:
National Pest Management Association:
http://www.pestworld.org/
NEW BED BUG SURVEY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In early 2011, the National Pest Management Association
(NPMA) and the University of Kentucky surveyed nearly 1,000 pest control
companies in and outside the United States about a range of issues relating
to bed bugs. The findings suggest a growing global pandemic that
necessitates urgent action by stakeholders. The full study will be released
in the September issue of PestWorld, NPMA's
bi-monthly magazine; however, recognizing the importance of the information,
we are pleased to offer this executive summary for your immediate review.
Executive Summary
Among the findings, you will note:
- 95% of professional pest control companies have encountered bed bug
infestations in the past year. Prior to 2000, only 25% of U.S. survey
respondents encountered a bed bug infestation.
- 91% of professional pest control companies believe the incidence of
bed bugs in the U.S. is increasing.
- 76% of pest professionals in the U.S. believe bed bugs are THE most
difficult pest to treat.
- Respondents report 99% of clients who have had bed bugs were "upset
and concerned" and 77% said such customers were "very upset
and concerned."
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