All About Bedbugs

Presented by ETSU Nursing Students:

Andrea Baxley

Audrey Jones

Doug Klaras

Jeanette Wilson

http://youtu.be/WfKCcSPCOQo

Bedbugs Attacking at Night!

Bedbug Identification

• Small insects the size of an apple seed

• They do not fly, but crawl• Brown to reddish-brown in color • Flat, oval-shaped body• Males have pointed abdomens• Females have rounded

abdomens.• Produce a sweet, musty odor

Bedbug Identification

Life Cycle

• Females lay approximately 300 eggs in her lifetime

• Eggs are pear-shaped and white in color• Eggs attach onto surfaces and hatch

within 10 days to 14 days• Young bed bugs are called nymphs• Nymphs are smaller and lighter in color

than adults• The nymph stage lasts 6 weeks• Nymphs and adult bed bugs live on the

blood of the host (animals and humans)• Adult bed bugs can survive without a

meal for 1 year or longer

BED BUG FEEDING

Bed bugs require blood of animals or humans for growth.

They feed at night when you are sleeping.

They have mouthparts for piercing the skin and sucking blood.

Feeding takes 3-12 minutes.

Bodies swell and become a brighter red after feedings.

Where are Bed Bugs?

Bed bugs are found worldwide.More common in developing countries, but on the rise in the United States due to a number of factors:

• Lack of awareness• Increase in international

travel• Bed bug resistance to

insecticides

A Nationwide Outbreak

•.

The map shows the reported areas of bed bug infestations

Where are Bedbugs?

• Bedbugs like crowded lodging.– Apartment complexes

– Dormitories

– Homeless shelters

– Hotels

– Military Barracks

• They hide in cracks and crevices during the day.– Mattresses

– Box springs

– Bed frames

– Headboards

– Chairs

– Sofas

Where are Bedbugs?

How do they get into your home?

LuggagePetsFurnitureClothingBoxes

Who can get Bedbugs?

Anyone, anywhere can get bedbugs!

Risk Factors

High turnover environments:• Hotels• Hostels• Homeless shelters• School dormitories• Furnished apartments• Multi-family dwellings

*Bed bugs can easily spread where people come and go frequently.

Risk Factors

Recent travel:• Airplanes• Trains• Buses• Taxis

*Bed bugs are thought to be spread by means of luggage and clothing.

Risk Factors

Secondhand furniture in the home:

• Refurbished mattresses• Furnished apartments

*Beg bugs hide in items such as furniture and mattresses.

How to Prevent Bedbug Infestations

At home

• Inspect any previously owned items like mattresses and couches before it enters your home (look in folds and creases, around zippers, and under buttons)

• Vacuum regularly• Seal cracks, crevices, and

holes in the walls/ceilings/floors

• Eliminate clutter • Place protectors over pillows,

mattresses, and box springs (these can be found at Bed Bath & Beyond and Wal-Mart)

When traveling

• Inspect the seams of hotel mattresses

• Store luggage off the floor

• Inspect the seams of suitcases before re-entering your home

What to Look for

Bedbugs on fabric.

Photos courtesy of www.epa.gov/bedbugs

What to Look for

Red/bloody spots on sheets showing where bedbugs have been squished.

Photos courtesy of www.epa.gov/bedbugs

What to Look for:

Bedbug eggs on cardboard.

Photos courtesy of www.epa.gov/bedbugs

How to Prevent Bedbug Bites

• Wear very covering pajamas

• There are no insect skin repellants specifically for bedbugs, and other forms will not work

How to Inspect Your Bedding

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=fvwp&NR=1&v=yGYbkjKnoag

How to Manage a Bedbug Infestation

• Report any suspected infestation to management immediately!

• Extermination by a professional (like Terminix) will likely be needed

• Keep records of when/where you saw the bedbugs

How to Manage a Bedbug Infestation

• Use bedbug detection systems (can be found at Bed Bath & Beyond)

• Use appropriate pesticides, but use them sparingly because bedbugs are quickly becoming immune due to overuse

Photo courtesy of Bed, Bath, & Beyond

PESTICIDES ALONE WILL NOT TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM!

How to Get Rid of Them

Clean everything in the area where the bedbugs were foundVacuum everywhere you can reach with vacuum or hose, pay close attention to cracks/crevicesWash all clothes and linens in HOT water and dry in a HOT dryer

Drying on medium to high heat for 20 minutes will kill the bugs and their eggs120°F

Place linens/clothes in a plastic bag and close it tightlyIn the summer, leave the bags in the sun for a day or close the bags up in the car on a sunny day (120°F)In the winter, leave the bags outside if temperatures are below freezing (32°F), they would have to stay there for several days

How to Stop the Spread

• Avoid items/rooms with known infestations (if possible)

• Do not carry personal belongings into areas with bedbugs

• Items with large populations of bedbugs may need to be thrown out (like couches or mattresses)

• If you’ve been around bedbugs, inspect all clothing, bags, shoes, purses, etc. before bringing them back into your home

How to Stop the Spread

• Bagging these items tightly in plastic bags before entering the home then washing/drying them immediately may be the safest approach

• If this isn’t possible, shake clothing carefully but thoroughly while standing outside before entering your home/car

How to Stop the Spread

Place encasements around pillows, mattresses, and box springs to trap the bedbugs .

Photos courtesy of www.walmart.com

Signs/Symptoms of a BiteRed with a darker red spot in the center

Groups of bumps or bumps in a jagged line

Looks like little red bumps on the skin, similar to mosquito bites

Can occur in groups of three called, “breakfast, lunch, and dinner”

Skin reaction may be delayed by a few days

Current research shows no transmission of diseases to humans

What do Bites Look Like?

What do Bites Look Like?

Bedbug Bite Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=A1tUa_B1Wwg

Bedbug Bites

What do bites feel like?

•Itching more intense than mosquito bites

•Frequently cause swelling

•Usually painless

Where do they like to bite people?

•Arms

•Legs

•Face

•Neck

Treating Bites at Home:

• Wash with soap and hot water• Oral antihistamines or topical

corticosteroids may help with the itching• Oral Antihistamine

• Ex: Benadryl• Topical Corticosteroid

• Ex: Cortisone 10

Over the Counter Medicine

Photos courtesy of www.walmart.com

Treating Bites at Home

• Calamine lotion may also help with itching

• Ice will help reduce any swelling

• Should resolve within 3-10 days without treatment

• BUT the bites may cause scarring, especially when scratched

When to See the Doctor: • If an allergic reaction

occurs with severe itching, redness, swelling, or hives

• If any fluid with a bad odor or discoloration oozes out of the bites

• If the bites have not healed within 3-10 days

***Patients with diabetes or any other immune system weakness should be especially concerned about the possibility of developing an infection from the bites or from scratching the bites.

Knoxville News Report on Bedbugs

http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=132406%20

Questions?

Thank You!

References

Bed Bugs FAQs. (2010, November 2). Retrieved September 25, 2011, from Center for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/bedbugs/faqs.htmlBed Bugs. (2011, August 29). Retrieved September 25, 2011, from Medline Plus: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/bedbugs.htmlSchwartz, R. A. (2011). Beg Bug Bites. Retrieved September 25, 2011, from Medscape

Reference: http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1088931-overviewhttp://www.mayoclinic.com/health/bedbugs/DS00663http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/ehs/publications/bed_bugs_cdc-epa_statement.htm http://www.epa.gov/bedbugs/#treat http://www.nysipm.cornell.edu/publications/bb_guidelines/