Reporting of bedbug treatment exposures to Texas poison centres

Abstract

Bed bugs are small, blood-sucking insects. The common bed bug (Cimex lectularius) is reddish-brown in colour, with an oval, flattened body 1e6 mm in length when not blood engorged. It feeds on the blood of warm-blooded animals, preferably humans. Bed bugs usually bite people at night while they are asleep. Some people demonstrate little or no reaction to the bites, while others develop a range of dermatological reactions and, in rare cases, anaphylaxis. Bed bugs are not known to transmit infectious agents. Following the introduction of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) in the 1950s, bed bugs virtually disappeared from the USA. However, there has been a resurgence in bedbug infestations in recent years. Pest control companies are reporting more infestations now than 10 years ago. Several explanations have been offered for this resurgence, including increased movement of people within the USA and internationally. In addition, bed bugs have developed resistance to many pesticides. The most common methods to treat bedbug infestations include application of heat, cold and/or pesticides. It is often recommended that management of bedbug infestations should be left to professionals such as pest control companies. However, some pesticide products are advertised directly to