Bedbug Poisonings
Posted: Saturday, September 24, 2011
by Jack H. Schick
When I was a tyke, sometimes my mom said things that scared me. Maybe my imagination was a little too active, but I conjured up some horrifying mental images. I knew that if I took tomatoes out of old Mr. Lewis’ garden again, he’d skin me alive. I knew that if I stood on the edge of the bathtub again, I’d fall and break my neck. I knew that if I stuck my head out the window too far, it would go home in another car. And, I knew that I had to be very vigilant at night, and not let the bedbugs bite.
After I grew up, I didn’t hear much about bedbugs until lately. Bedbugs are wingless, reddish-brown insects. They don’t suck your blood like a tick or mosquito. They bite people and animals then drink the blood (like a vampire). The bites can itch (like crumbs), and cause welts, but they are not know to spread disease. “There is noting inherently dangerous about bedbugs,” said Dr. Susi Vassallo, an emergency medicine doctor at Bellevue Hospital Center in New York City, where they have a bedbug problem.
Bedbugs have become highly publicized in New York City. It’s had an effect on the hotel business. The city seems to be the epicenter of the recent bedbug ‘comeback’ in the United States, Dr. Geoff Calvert, an investigator for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reported. At least twelve other states have been having problems with the pest.
Bedbugs are tough to get rid of. In a recent national survey of exterminators they were named as the most difficult pest to eliminate. They can hide for months. They only come out at night (in the dark, in the night, while you’re sleeping, they come, in the dark, to drink blood), and they are very hard to spot with the naked eye.
Theresa Braine, a NYC journalist, lived with bedbugs in her apartment for over a year. She now writes a weekly Internet column about them. She said that, though they may not be dangerous, they are "creepy and unnerving." They provoke intense fear in the minds of many. “Sometimes people get hysterical,” she said.
The major problem with the bedbug ‘epidemic,’ according to the CDC is not the insect itself, but the pesticides used to combat it. Over 80 illnesses and one death were found to be related to the insecticides over the past three years. Most cases were in NYC, but seven other states reported illnesses. There was one fatality in North Carolina.
In most of the cases, the illness was suffered by ‘do-it-yourselfers’ who misused products, used the wrong stuff or over did it. The woman who died in North Carolina used 18 cans of chemical fogger. She was so “hysterical” over her infestation, and so determined to win the battle against the tiny blood suckers that she poisoned herself. Federal health authorities are warning people to be careful with the chemicals if they get bedbugs, and suggest they call a professional pest control expert.
The CDC study of the dangers of bedbug insecticides was the first of its kind. They reviewed reports from California, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, New York, Texas and Washington. Overall, they found 111 cases of bedbug battling illnesses between 2003 and 2010. Most were in the past couple of years when the ‘comeback’ began. Half of the ‘poisoning’ cases were in New York City. Victims suffered headaches, dizziness, breathing problems and nausea and vomiting. Over 80% of the illnesses were classified as mild.
I don’t know if we have bedbugs. My eyesight isn’t what it used to be, and I itch half the time anyway, so how would I know if it’s bedbugs? We still get ants sometimes, and our dogs brought in fleas, once. That was quite a battle, too. My wife stripped-and-dipped the animals and bug bombed the hell out of the house. The sheets smelled like poison for days. I was sure it made me sick, but I was still drinking back then and she claims that’s why I threw up.
{She just walked through the computer room on the way to bed and said, “Good night.” I couldn’t help it. I said, “Sleep tight. Don’t let the bedbugs bite.”}
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Top-level comments on this article: (3 total)Don't even get me started. I am one of those paranoid people. A major city near us has a huge problem with bedbugs and it scares me to death. I know people, who know people who have them there. I am terrified of getting them because they are so hard to get rid of. Haven't been on to read in ages, and yours is the first article I spotted. Great Jack, now I'll be scratching all day just thinking about bedbugs.Thanks for reading and commenting- I've got quite a few articles up right now, some are pretty funny (I think). I like the 'Correct Tool' one.
Hi Jack.
My parents used a lot of fear based tactics on my sister and me in order to get us to "behave." Bedbugs wasn't one of them though.
You gave goood warnings to those who have them and want to get rid of them. Also, many people are recommending that you do not use new sheets or blankets without first washing them and drying them on a fairly high heat in the dryer. Same goes for new clothing. They make "bed sacks" for travel that will allow you to sleep in a hotel/motel bed without making contact with their sheets and blankets.
Hugs,
DianneThanks for reading and commenting
There was epidemic infestations twenty years ago in several hotel/motel chains. That's what I believe pushed the RV industry forward, as people did not want to sleep in beds used by others. The carpets in some expensive places are yukky, even after being cleaned.
I don't like any creepy crawlers of any kind. Only once, about 20 yrs ago, in a Roanoke hotel did I leave, because I was worried there was something there. I'd been traveling and tired, but nothing upsets me any more than spiders, snakes or bugs, unless it's flies and nats.
I left even though they wouldn't refund my money. The room looked good, but every time I turned off the lights...it was weird. The room was expensive, so it isn't the cost, but how clean the staff keeps things.I seem to be giving everybody the creeps with this one. Actually, I was proud of the humor. Thanks for reading and commentingI seem to be giving everybody the creeps with this one. Actually, I was proud of the humor. Thanks for reading and commenting
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