Abstract
The Common bed bug, Cimex lectularius, had virtually disappeared from France in the 1950s; however, a worldwide resurgence of bed bugs (C. lectularius and C. hemipterus) has been observed since the 1990s. To document modern pest control activities for the management of bed bugs, a survey was conducted in metropolitan France among the two main categories of professionals regularly called upon to deal with the control of infestations: Municipal Health and Safety Services (MHSSs) and private Pest Management Companies (PMCs). These professionals responded to a questionnaire targeting their knowledge, attitude and practices related to the process for diagnosing a bed bug infestation and the processes taken to actually control an infestation. There were 68 responses received from MHSSs and 51 from the PMCs. The responses indicate that every single département (French administrative division) in metropolitan France has witnessed at least one intervention for bed bugs. Among the criteria considered sufficient to confirm a bed bug infestation, direct observation of bugs was the most commonly cited response. Faced with an infestation, most PMCs used a combination of non-chemical and chemical methods, and systematically performed two treatments. This survey is the first of professionals involved in bed bug control in metropolitan France and confirms the growing importance of bed bugs as a public health pest. Establishing a database to monitor this emerging pest would improve the understanding of the distribution of these insects, help guide educational requirements, identify research needs and assist in ensuring that the most appropriate control practices are undertaken.
Highlights
The Common bed bug, Cimex lectularius, had virtually disappeared from France in the 1950s, probably as a result of an improvement in the general hygiene of housing and the effective use of DDT and other organochlorines [14]
Nonrespondents (108–42 = 66) could be broken down as follows: 55 no-replies for unknown reasons, 5 rodent control companies that do not carry out insect control, 3 firms that distribute pest control products but do not themselves carry out treatment, 2 training/education institutions that do not carry out treatment and 1 that could not be reached by phone or email (Table 1)
A comparison of the responses given by Municipal Health and Safety Services (MHSSs) and Pest Management Companies (PMCs) indicates significant differences in the responses on growth and on failure to reply (Fig. 1)
Summary
The Common bed bug, Cimex lectularius, had virtually disappeared from France in the 1950s, probably as a result of an improvement in the general hygiene of housing and the effective use of DDT and other organochlorines [14]. This situation did not last as in the early 1990s, a resurgence of bed bugs was observed in most nations, including France [1, 6]. The global resurgence has involved two species, C. lectularius and C. hemipterus [12]. The reasons for the resurgence are somewhat contentious, insecticide resistance appears to be the main factor along with the increase in international transport through tourism and trade [4, 10]
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