Decoded Science

  • Home
  • Headlines
  • General Science
  • Applied Science
    • Calculations
    • Economics
    • Engineering
      • Aviation
      • Civil Engineering
    • Medical Science
      • Health
      • Neuroscience
      • Oncology
      • Veterinary Science
    • Political Science
      • Polling
    • Mathematics
    • Technology
      • Artificial Intelligence
      • Computing
      • Electronics
      • Gadgets
    • Social Science
      • Cognitive Science
      • Psychology
      • Sociology
      • Anthropology
        • Linguistics
  • Physical Science
    • Archaeology
    • Astronomy
    • Chemistry
      • Materials Science
    • Geoscience
      • Climate Change
      • The Environment
      • Geology
      • Meteorology
      • Oceanography
    • Life Science
      • Biology
        • Botany
        • Zoology
          • Marine Biology
          • Entomology
          • Microbiology
        • Paleontology
        • Ecology
    • Nuclear Science
  • Theoretical Science
    • Physics
    • Math Theory
  • About Us
    • Contact Decoded Science
    • Ask the Expert
    • Meet Our Experts
    • Meet Our Sponsors:
    • Browse All Articles
    • Subscribe
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use Agreement
  • Support Decoded Science

Wisconsin’s Bedbug Infestation: Tiny Parasites Bugging Residents

September 3, 2013 by Janelle Vaesa, MPH Leave a Comment

+1
Share
Tweet
Share
Pin
0 Shares
Bedbugs are small, flat insects that can hide in small cracks. Image by Jiří Humpolíček

Bedbugs are small, flat insects that can hide in tiny cracks. Image by Jiří Humpolíček

Wisconsin has seen an increase in bedbugs over the last two years, and it has residents complaining. These tiny insects feed mainly on human’s blood, biting exposed skin of sleeping people and animals.

Bedbugs are reddish-brown, don’t have any wings, and are about 1mm to 7mm, which is about the size of Lincoln’s head on the penny, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  Dan Koralewski, a community health environmentalist in West Allis, told FOX News that in the past two years he has been receiving calls two to three times a week regarding bedbugs.

Where do Bedbugs Come From?

One myth regarding bedbugs is that the bedbugs develop because of unclean conditions in a home. Although these annoying little bugs have been a problem in developing countries, they are also making their way into five-star hotels.

Bedbugs like to hang out where people sleep, and only come out at night. During the day, they hide in cracks and crevices, behind wall paper, in box springs, in the seams of mattresses, headboards, and many other places. According to the CDC, bedbugs have been known to travel up to 100 feet at night; however, they prefer to stay within eight feet of a sleeping person or animal.

So how do you know if you have bedbugs? Here are some common indicators;

  • You may find the discarded shell – the bugs molt, and leave the exoskeleton behind.
  • You may find the bugs themselves, in the folds of the mattress or in sheets.
  • You may find rusty-colored blood spots on your mattresses or furniture. (That’s not a blood-stain, it’s bedbug excrement. They eat blood so they leave blood-colored droppings behind.)

Bedbugs do bite, but it may be hard to tell if you have been bitten by one, especially if you cannot find any other signs of bedbugs.




Don’t let the Bedbugs Bite!

The old saying goes, “good night, sleep tight, don’t let the bedbugs bite!” – That may be harder than you might think.

Bedbugs are smart; when they bite, they inject a anesthetic and an anticoagulant that prevents you from realizing that you are being bitten. In fact, you may not even notice the bites the next morning or later – bite marks may not appear until several days after the initial bite.

There are some things you can do to make sure you aren’t sleeping with bedbugs.

  • If you are in a hotel, inspect the mattresses and place your luggage on tables instead of on the floor.
  • When buying secondhand items, especially mattresses and upholstered furniture, thoroughly inspect them for signs of bedbugs.

Get Rid of Bedbugs

Bedbugs bite in a line or a cluster, although itchy, they don't cause disease or illness. Image by  Andybrookestar

Bedbugs bite in a line and/or a cluster, although itchy, they don’t cause disease or illness. Image by Andybrookestar

Decoded Science contacted Dan Koralewski MHS, RS, community health envrionmentalist II of the West Allis Health Department in Wisconsin, to ask how victims of the bedbug plague can treat their problem, and he responded,

“Regarding treatment, we always recommend that an individual hire a licensed pest control company to eliminate a bedbug infestation. While it can be costly, bedbugs are difficult to eliminate and you have to have someone that knows what they are doing when conducting treatment. Usually a pest control company will use a pesticide application with a 2nd application after about 30 days. Sometimes, they may use “heat treatment”. This is a process in which the dwelling unit is super-heated to 130 degrees to kill the bedbugs. Of course this takes specialized equipment and costs more as well, but it is very effective.
We do not recommend any over-the-counter pest sprays from a hardware store…. basically these products may kill the bedbugs they contact directly but do little else as far as providing residual protection.

As far as any health concerns… right now, the only health concern is possible secondary infection of bite locations from itching, etc. In other words bedbugs do not transmit any diseases such as West Nile Virus, Lyme Disease, etc.”

Bedbugs: Annoying But Not Dangerous

While bedbugs can occur anywhere, they are more common in places where there is a high turn-over rate of people, such as hotels, homeless shelters, dormitories, apartment complexes, and military barracks. Due to their small and flat nature, bedbugs are easily transported via people. They can hide in luggage, clothes, towels, and many other places, which makes it very difficult to figure out where the bedbugs came from! You can treat the bites with an antiseptic spray or lotion to help stop the itch, but to get rid of bedbugs in your home, take the advice above, and hire a professional.

Resources:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Bed Bug Frequently Asked Questions. (2013). Accessed September 3, 2013.

FOX News. Bedbug Infestations on the rise in Wisconsin. (2013). Accessed September 3, 2013.

Mayo Clinic. Bedbugs. (2012). Accessed September 3, 2013.

+1
Share
Tweet
Share
Pin
0 Shares

Filed Under: Headlines, Health

Decoded Everything is a non-profit corporation, dependent on donations from readers like you. Donate now! Your support keeps the great information coming!

Donation Information

I would like to make a donation in the amount of:

$500$200$100$50$20$10$5Other
Other:

I would like this donation to automatically repeat each month

Tribute Gift

Check here to donate in honor or memory of someone
Check here if this is a memorial gift
Name of person to be honored:
Send acknowledgement via email
Send acknowledgement via postal mail
Email Name:
Email:
Name:
Address:
City:
State :
Province:
Country:
Postal Code:

Donor Information

First Name:
Last Name:
Email:
Please do not display my name publicly. I would like to remain anonymous
Add me to your mailing list

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Connect with:
Facebook

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

About the Author

Janelle Vaesa

Janelle Vaesa received her Master of Science degree in Public Health, with a concentration in Health Behavior, from the University of Louisville in 2008, and her Bachelor of Science in Health and Human Performance, also from ... Read Full Profile

Follow Decoded Science

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
signupheredailydosedecsciv2


Science Everyone's Talking About

  • Genetically Modified Organisms: Pros and Cons of GMO Food Genetically Modified Organisms: Pros and Cons of GMO Food What are the benefits and risks of genetically modified... under Headlines, Health
  • Chemistry Questions: Organic Compounds, Life, and Vitalism Chemistry Questions: Organic Compounds, Life, and Vitalism Current scientific theories as to the origin of life ar... under Chemistry
  • Comparing the Genetic Code of DNA to Binary Code Comparing the Genetic Code of DNA to Binary Code Does DNA store information in the same way that a compu... under Information Science, Mathematics
  • Air Conditioning and Pressurization Systems in Modern Aircraft Air Conditioning and Pressurization Systems in Modern Aircraft For any modern aircraft to fly at high altitudes, i... under Aviation
  • Himalayan Ice Loss, Extra-Terrestrial Water and the European Settlement of the Americas: Geoscience 1-7 February 2019 Himalayan Ice Loss, Extra-Terrestrial Water and the European Settlement of the Americas: Geoscience 1-7 February 2019 This week we go back in time, travel into outer space a... under Geoscience, Headlines, Weekly Features

Today's Most Popular Science Articles

  • Introducing Math Symbols for Union and Intersection Introducing Math Symbols for Union and Intersection
  • Norovirus Facts: 5 Things You Didn't Know About Stomach Flu Norovirus Facts: 5 Things You Didn’t Know About Stomach Flu
  • Which Chemical Bond is Stronger: Ionic vs. Covalent Bonds Which Chemical Bond is Stronger: Ionic vs. Covalent Bonds
  • Genetically Modified Organisms: Pros and Cons of GMO Food Genetically Modified Organisms: Pros and Cons of GMO Food
  • Introducing the Factorial: the Exclamation Mark of Math Introducing the Factorial: the Exclamation Mark of Math
  • Cross Multiply to Solve Equations with Fractions Cross Multiply to Solve Equations with Fractions
  • Stomach Flu Cramps: Is There Anything You Can Do For Norovirus Symptoms? Stomach Flu Cramps: Is There Anything You Can Do For Norovirus Symptoms?

Copyright © 2019 · Magazine Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

MENU
  • Home
  • Headlines
  • General Science
  • Applied Science
    • Calculations
    • Economics
    • Engineering
      • Aviation
      • Civil Engineering
    • Medical Science
      • Health
      • Neuroscience
      • Oncology
      • Veterinary Science
    • Political Science
      • Polling
    • Mathematics
    • Technology
      • Artificial Intelligence
      • Computing
      • Electronics
      • Gadgets
    • Social Science
      • Cognitive Science
      • Psychology
      • Sociology
      • Anthropology
        • Linguistics
  • Physical Science
    • Archaeology
    • Astronomy
    • Chemistry
      • Materials Science
    • Geoscience
      • Climate Change
      • The Environment
      • Geology
      • Meteorology
      • Oceanography
    • Life Science
      • Biology
        • Botany
        • Zoology
          • Marine Biology
          • Entomology
          • Microbiology
        • Paleontology
        • Ecology
    • Nuclear Science
  • Theoretical Science
    • Physics
    • Math Theory
  • About Us
    • Contact Decoded Science
    • Ask the Expert
    • Meet Our Experts
    • Meet Our Sponsors:
    • Browse All Articles
    • Subscribe
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use Agreement
  • Support Decoded Science