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Pest management and vector control
Published in Stephen Battersby, Clay's Handbook of Environmental Health, 2023
Paul Charlson, Stephen Battersby
After several decades of declining infestations, the bedbug (Cimex lectularius) has seen an impressive global resurgence in numbers. A survey of Local Authority pest management services in the UK in 2009 found that almost 40% were reporting an increase in bedbug infestations in their area. They cited high rise multi-occupier flats with transient populations as the most common location for bedbugs and the most challenging to treat because of difficulties in negotiating access to each of the flats within the block. The recent resurgence in developed countries appears to have started almost synchronously in the late 1990s in Europe, the United States and Australia [61], with infestations reported regularly in new locations such as upmarket hotels. These infestations can, in part, be traced back to recent overseas travel, but other factors such as insecticide resistance may also be important. Although bedbugs are not considered to be important in the transmission of disease, their biting behaviour can result in secondary infections from the intense itching resulting from their bites. Their presence however can cause significant distress, anxiety and disgust.9
Indoor Air Pollution
Published in William J. Rea, Kalpana D. Patel, Reversibility of Chronic Disease and Hypersensitivity, Volume 4, 2017
William J. Rea, Kalpana D. Patel
Bedbugs can cause itchy bites on people and pets. Unlike most public-health pests, however, bedbugs are not known to transmit or spread diseases. Pesticides are only one tool to use in getting rid of bedbugs. A comprehensive approach that includes prevention and nonchemical treatment of infestations is the best way to avoid or eliminate a bedbug problem. While more information can be found on EPA's website, a few examples of nonchemical methods of control include Removing clutter where bedbugs can hideUsing mattress covers designed to contain bedbugsSealing cracks and crevicesVacuuming rugs and upholstered furniture thoroughly and frequently, as well as vacuuming under beds (take the vacuum bag outside immediately and dispose in a sealed trash bag)Washing and drying clothing and bedsheets at high temperatures (heat can kill bedbugs)Placing clean clothes in sealable plastic bags when possibleBeing alert and monitoring for bedbugs so they can be treated before a major infestation occurs
Pest management and vector control
Published in Stephen Battersby, Clay's Handbook of Environmental Health, 2016
Bedbugs are reddish brown, wingless, dorso- ventrally flattened insects measuring 5–10 mm in length, depending on how recently they have had a blood meal. Both males and females take blood meals and feeding usually occurs at night. Bedbugs have a very flat body shape and can hide in virtually any crack or crevice, preferring dark, isolated and protected areas [44]. This, combined with their ability to withstand starvation for considerable periods of time, results in them being difficult to control. In the early 1900s bedbugs were common in many homes and tended to be associated with rundown and poorly maintained properties [45]. After several decades of declining infestations, the bedbug (Cimex lectularius) has seen an impressive global resurgence in numbers. A survey of local authority pest management services in the UK in 2009 found that almost 40 per cent were reporting an increase in bedbug infestations in their area. They cited high rise multi-occupier flats with transient populations as the most common location for bedbugs and the most challenging to treat because of difficulties in negotiating access to each of the flats within the block. The recent resurgence in developed countries appears to have started almost synchronously in the late 1990s in Europe, the United States and Australia [46], with infestations reported regularly in new locations such as upmarket hotels. These infestations can, in part, be traced back to recent overseas travel, but other factors such as insecticide resistance may also be important. Although bedbugs are not considered to be important in the transmission of disease, their biting behaviour can result in secondary infections from the intense itching resulting from their bites. Their presence however can cause significant distress, anxiety and disgust.
Effectiveness of heat treatment in rapid control of bed bugs in environmental conditions resembling their natural habitats
Published in International Journal of Environmental Health Research, 2023
Dahlia Chebbah, Nohal Elissa, Patrick Nicolas, Vincent Levy, Youhann Vingataramin, Amal Bennouna, Julie Jan, Arezki Izri, Mohammad Akhoundi
The control management strategies of bed bugs rely mainly on the chemical and non-chemical controls (Potter 2011). Despite application of chemical insecticides as a widely used method to control the bed bugs, they have led to emergence of insecticide-resistant populations worldwide which makes this control ineffective (Dang et al. 2017). Furthermore, they are toxic to human health or environment leading to dissemination of bed bugs to the neighbor uninfested locations. The repeated failure of chemical treatments has resulted in development of non-chemical controls as an alternative offering several advantages (Wang et al. 2012). They consist of several safe and effective options mainly based on mechanical, physical or biological methods that allow removing the bed bugs from infested locations without using chemical insecticides (Potter 2011; Chebbah et al. 2021).