Bed Bugs - Important Things to Know

Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) are described by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as small, flat, parasitic insects that feed on the blood of humans and animals while they sleep. They are reddish-brown in color, wingless, range in size from 1mm to 7mm, and can live several months without a blood meal.
The insects are found globally and have been discovered in everything from five-star hotels and resorts to cruise ships, buses, trains and homes. CDC states that their presence is not determined by the cleanliness of the living conditions where they are found.
According to the agency, bed bugs hide during the day in places such as the seams of mattresses, box springs, bed frames, headboards, dresser tables, inside cracks or crevices, or around any other clutter or objects around a bed. Bed bugs 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.
While bed bugs are not known to spread disease, their bite may cause itching and loss of sleep. Itching can lead to excessive scratching that can could increase the chance of a secondary skin infection. CDC also warns that for some individuals, a bed bug bite could lead to a serious allergic reaction and that an allergic reaction to several bites may require medical attention.
Bed bug bite marks may take as long as 14 days to develop in some people. Clues shared by the CDC for determining if bed bugs have infested an area include:
• Bed bug exoskeletons after molting
• Bed bugs in the folds of mattresses and sheets
• Rusty-colored blood spots due to their blood-filled fecal material that they excrete on a mattress or nearby furniture
• A sweet musty odor
There are also DNA-based laboratory testing techniques to help identify the presence of bed bugs or to confirm the effectiveness of eradication and cleaning efforts.
These are just a few of the many things to know about bed bugs and potential exposure risks. To learn more about this or other indoor environmental quality, health or safety issues, please visit the websites shown below.
Clark Seif Clark www.csceng.com
EMSL Analytical, Inc. www.emsl.com
LA Testing www.latesting.com
Zimmetry Environmental www.zimmetry.com
CTSI www.ctsiweb.com
Healthy Indoors Magazine www.healthyindoors.com