Bed Bugs

Question 1

Bed Bugs:

What are they?

Answer 1

Blood sucking human parasite up to 5mm long

Question 2

Bed Bugs:

Behaviour patterns?

Answer 2

• attracted to warmth
• feed nocturnally
• commonly live in cracks/crevices or mattresses
• more common in developing countries but increasingly problematic in the developed world

Question 3

Bed Bugs:

how long can they survice?

Answer 3

Can live up to 1 year without feeding!

Question 4

Bed Bugs:

Symptoms?

Answer 4

• Bites are not felt by humans
• tend to be in a linear fashion
• do have a central punctum with surrounding erythema 2 - 5mm
• can get papular urticaria or diffuse urticaria post bites*

Question 5

Bed Bugs:

Treatment?

Answer 5

Symptomatic.

Usually none is required.

Question 6

Bed Bugs:

Eradication or prevention?

Answer 6

• Washing and drying clothes on a high heat
• chemical (insecticides and treated bed nets) and non chemical methods (vacuuming, heat treatments, freezing, heated pitfall traps)