Bedbugs Case

Bedbugs

Recently bedbug infestations have been on the rise. Up until 1997 bedbugs were almost eradicated, it was nearly impossible to find a live specimen to teach entomology courses. The article is important to help educate health care providers about bedbug bites and infestations. It is also important to understand why they have resurfaced and how to prevent further outbreaks.

In this article the following questions were asked and answered. What does the bedbug look like? They are flattened with an oval body, wingless, a red-brown color and they are only 6mm in length. What is the life cycle? They adult bedbug can live for 6 to 12 months. Each female lays 200-500 eggs throughout their life. These eggs hatch within 6 to 10 days in room temperature. How resilient are bedbugs? They can tolerate temperatures as cold as 7 degrees Celsius and as high as 45 degrees Celsius. They can also go long durations without food or water, sometimes up to two years without feeding. What is the feeding patter? They are generally nocturnal insects. They may travel 5-20 ft. to reach a victim. They detect their victims by perception of body temperature and carbon dioxide production. They feed every 3-5 days for at least 5-10 minutes. They return to their homes by an airborne pheromone secreted by other bed bugs. What happens when a bed bug bites? Their saliva transports nitric oxide to the bite, which dilates blood vessels. This provides an optimal amount of blood for their meal. The bedbugs' salivary glands produce anti coagulant, which prevents our blood from clotting. What does the bite look like? Skin reactions are a result of reaction to the bed bug saliva. They appear as a red wheal followed by a red papule. They can be up to 20 cm. The bites are found on exposed areas such as head, neck, arms, and shoulders. Where do bedbugs reside? Bedbugs can be found in dark crevices of walls, suitcases, picture frames, fold of clothing, box springs, linens and peeling wallpapers. How do you get rid of bedbugs? Insecticides are an effective tool; however some places have developed a resistance to certain insecticides.

The authors stated that bedbugs do not transfer hepatitis B virus or HIV. They were tested on primate hosts and proven not to transmit theses disease. The internal environment of the bedbug is not adequate for viral replication. Even though it tested negative there Is always a possibility that the result may change if it were tested in humans.

What I found interesting was how long bedbugs go without food or water and also how many babies they are able to have. It is thought that the reason for the increase of bedbugs is because of less toxic insecticides and an increase in international travel. The article says that bedbugs become very common in hotels. This is because different people from all around the world share that bed and they may not be cleaned as well as we thing. To check