Bedbugs in the City

What do hotels, movie theatres, schools, gyms, college dormitories, hospitals and possibly your very own home have in common? Cimex lectularius, that's what. It's a nice name for a nuisance better known as the bedbug. This bugging situation was once eradicated in the United States. But, in recent years has made a strong comeback to cities across the country and New York is no exception.

Now, to add to the City's problem of eliminating rodents and roaches these blood sucking vermin have come to rejoin the mix. The issue of bedbugs is so huge that New York City has implemented a series of interventional programs to teach residents how to combat this insect problem and minimize its spread. These seminars could not have come at a better time. From 2004 to 2007, the number of calls cited by NYC's 311 hotline had tripled to nearly 7000 bedbug complaints last year. The seminars will take place in different venues. Interestingly enough no sessions will take place in the Bronx. Why? It's simply that the Bronx has seen the least number of bedbug incidents out of all five boroughs. But, then again maybe these critters have an aversion to the rising costs for fans to attend future games at the Bronx Bombers' new stadium. Staten Islanders won't be seeing any seminars in their neck of the woods either after coming in second after the Bronx.

Bedbugs aren't the kind of companion you have in mind when you're under the covers. So, the best way to get rid of these unwelcomed guests is to understand how to identify their presence early on and work toward eradication. Bedbugs are parasites that do not live on their hosts, which are mainly people. They are about a ¼ inch in length and wingless with oval bodies. They change color before and after they feed on your blood. Their color can range from white to deep brown before feeding and afterwards they become dark red or black. Their size also doubles after eating.

So, where do these pesky critters live? You can find them in dark areas and pretty much any place you may lie down such as the carpet, couch or mattress. A bedbug infestation can usually be seen as small, dark spots of blood on the mattress. Once someone has been bitten they usually see small bumps that look like mosquito or flea bites. The bites are usually clustered in a row and most commonly occur near the arms, legs and around the waist. Rarely, some people may present with giant urticaria or severe lesions that may result in skin loss.

Why the drastic rise in bedbugs after being gone for so many decades? The increase of bedbugs is not only a problem in the US, but a worldwide issue that surpasses socioeconomic status. Factors that have been associated with this infestation include the cessation of DDT (pesticide), increase in global travel and the sale of refurbished mattresses. Whatever, the cause people can still take measures to guard themselves against a takeover by following some steps. Some of the things you can do are washing clothes and bedding linen in hot water and keeping the dryer on the highest heat setting for at least 5 minutes. Get rid of household clutter to prevent hiding places. And for those who have been lucky finding hidden gems at yard sales leave that used couch alone or you'll be risking getting more than a bargain. Don't forget that a professional pest company is always an option to get rid of your intrusive houseguest once and for all. If you're in the NYC area and would like to attend one of the three seminars on bedbugs visit the Department of Housing Preservation and Development for more information.

Sources: Douglas Sutton, ARNP, NP-C, EdD and Debera J. Thomas, ARNP, BC, DNS. "Don't let the bedbugs bite." Nursing 2008 38.1 (2008): 24, Diantha Parker, "Bedbugs Make a Comeback in the Big Apple," NPR, Bill Egbert, "Don't tell bedbugs about the Bronx," Daily News