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Simple Summary: The common bed bug (Cimex lectularius L.) experienced a worldwide resurgence during the last two decades. Chemical control is one of the popular strategies to control bed bug infestations. Bed bugs developed resistance to insecticides, but the prevalence and levels of insecticide resistance among local bed bug populations and whether the commonly used insecticide products are effective on these populations, is unclear. This study tested 13 field populations of bed bugs collected in the United States and determined their insecticidal resistance levels. We found that seven populations developed very high level resistance to deltamethrin. Only one population exhibited high level resistance to neonicotinoids. The performance of three neonicotinoid-pyrethroid mixture sprays and an inorganic insecticide dust were evaluated using three field populations that exhibited high levels of resistance to deltamethrin. All three tested populations required much higher concentrations (55–2017 times higher) than the laboratory strain to induce 90% mortality. Exposure to silica gel dust caused >95% mortality after 72 h. These findings indicate most resistant bed bugs may not be effectively controlled by pyrethroids, neonicotinoid, or pyrethroid-neonicotinoid insecticide sprays. Insecticide dusts containing silica gel are an effective material for control of bed bug infestations. Insecticide resistance is one of the factors contributing to the resurgence of the common bed bug, Cimex lectularius L. This study aimed to profile the resistance levels of field-collected C. lectularius populations to two neonicotinoids and one pyrethroid insecticide and the performance of selected insecticide sprays and an inorganic dust. The susceptibility of 13 field-collected C. lectularius populations from the United States to acetamiprid, imidacloprid, and deltamethrin was assessed by topical application using a discriminating dose (10 × LD90 of the respective chemical against a laboratory strain). The RR50 based on KT50 values for acetamiprid and imidacloprid ranged from 1.0–4.7 except for the Linden 2019 population which had RR50 of ≥ 76.9. Seven populations had RR50 values of > 160 for deltamethrin. The performance of three insecticide mixture sprays and an inorganic dust were evaluated against three C. lectularius field populations. The performance ratio of Transport GHP (acetamiprid + bifenthrin), Temprid SC (imidacloprid + β-cyfluthrin), and Tandem (thiamethoxam + λ-cyhalothrin) based on LC90 were 900–2017, 55–129, and 100–196, respectively. Five minute exposure to CimeXa (92.1% amorphous silica) caused > 95% mortality to all populations at 72 h post-treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand for the use of fluralaner in an extra label manner is increasing due to lack of efficacious treatment to combat mites and bed bugs in the poultry industry in the United States. Fluralaner residue data in eggs is lacking and residues might cause risks to human health. The present study aimed to determine the depletion profiles of fluralaner in eggs and estimate the drug withdrawal interval in whole eggs by adopting the US Food and Drug administration tolerance limit method with single intravenous (0.5 mg/kg) or transdermal administration (average 58.7 mg/kg) in healthy shaver hens. Hens were treated intravenously or trans-dermally with fluralaner. The eggs were collected daily for 28 d for intravenous treated and for 40 d from the transdermal route group. Fluralaner concentrations in yolk and albumen were determined by mass spectrometry. The greater percentage of fluralaner was observed in yolk when compared to the albumen for both administration routes. Noncompartmental analysis was used to calculate the pharmacokinetic parameters in yolk, albumen and whole egg. The longest apparent half-life confirmed in yolk was 3.7 d for intravenous and 14.3 d for the transdermal route. The withdrawal intervals in whole egg for fluralaner following the intravenous and transdermal administration were 7 d and 81 d, respectively, with maximum residue limits (1.3 µg/g) at 13 d and 171 d, respectively, based on the limit of quantification (0.4 µg/g) from the analytical assay reported by EMA and APVMA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ectoparasite infestations negatively affect both backyard and commercial chicken flocks in the United States. Fluralaner is an isoxazoline shown to be efficacious in treating mite and bed bug infestations in poultry. Fluralaner is approved to treat fleas and ticks in dogs and cats in the United States and to treat mite infestations of chickens in Europe and Australia; however, the use of fluralaner in poultry is not yet approved in the United States. This study aimed to investigate the plasma fluralaner pharmacokinetic profile of intravenous and transdermal routes and apparent bioavailability of fluralaner administered trans-dermally in healthy shaver hens. A total of 12 individually housed healthy shaver hens received a single dose of either intravenous technical grade fluralaner at 0.5 mg/kg, or transdermal fluralaner (Bravecto (fluralaner transdermal solution) for dogs, 280 mg/mL, Merck Animal Health) at mean 58.7 mg/kg. Plasma from each hen was collected from the jugular, ulnar, or medial metatarsal vein at multiple intervals. Fluralaner concentrations in plasma were determined using Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography with Mass Spectrometry (UPLC/MS). Noncompartmental analysis revealed that the geometric mean elimination half-life for intravenous and transdermal routes were 80.5 and 179.6 h, respectively. The geometric mean apparent bioavailability of transdermal routes was estimated as 3.4%. Prolonged fluralaner concentration in plasma above minimum inhibitory concentration of bed bugs following the single dose was observed in healthy shaver hens for both routes. It is important to understand the pharmacokinetic profile could be useful in determining the appropriate treatment strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the beginning of the 21st century, the prevalence of Cimex species (bedbugs) infestation in human dwellings rose exponentially, particularly in the United States. Although there is no evidence that bedbugs transmit diseases to their hosts, they are difficult to eradicate, making them a source of psychological and physical distress and a socioeconomic burden to society. Here, the author describes the case of an eight-year-old boy who presented with widespread, multiple, itchy, red papules surrounded by round patches of erythematous, edematous skin, and was eventually diagnosed with cimicosis (bedbug infestation). Other family members living with the boy showed no clinical signs of bedbug infestation, and the bites on the boy were not in the typical three-row linear configuration associated with bedbug bites--which made this case compelling. Clinical diagnostic characteristics, symptom management, and suggestions on infestation eradication are provided. Biological and epidemiological characteristics of bedbug infestation are also described. Currently, evidence of simple, safe, and effective means of bedbug eradication is lacking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bed bugs have reemerged in the United States and worldwide over recent decades, presenting a major challenge to both public health practitioners and housing authorities. A number of municipalities have proposed or initiated policies to stem the bed bug epidemic, but little guidance is available to evaluate them. One contentious policy is disclosure, whereby landlords are obligated to notify potential tenants of current or prior bed bug infestations. Aimed to protect tenants from leasing an infested rental unit, disclosure also creates a kind of quarantine, partially and temporarily removing infested units from the market. Here, we develop a mathematical model for the spread of bed bugs in a generalized rental market, calibrate it to parameters of bed bug dispersion and housing turnover, and use it to evaluate the costs and benefits of disclosure policies to landlords. We find disclosure to be an effective control policy to curb infestation prevalence. Over the short term (within 5 years), disclosure policies result in modest increases in cost to landlords, while over the long term, reductions of infestation prevalence lead, on average, to savings. These results are insensitive to different assumptions regarding the prevalence of infestation, rate of introduction of bed bugs from other municipalities, and the strength of the quarantine effect created by disclosure. Beyond its application to bed bugs, our model offers a framework to evaluate policies to curtail the spread of household pests and is appropriate for systems in which spillover effects result in highly nonlinear cost-benefit relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infants can suffocate on air mattresses, even when the mattress is fully inflated. The interfacing issues of poverty, the bedbug epidemic, and changes in the design and marketing of air mattresses may be increasing consumer use of air mattresses as primary sleep environments and thus increasing the potential for infant death. Despite recent changes to improve air mattress safety labeling, the National Child Death Review Case Reporting System found that between 2004 and 2015 across 24 states, an air mattress was the incident sleep place for 108 infants whose deaths were either during sleep or in a sleep environment. At thesame time, design components such as inflatable headboards and memory foam pillow tops potentially increase the hazard to infants, and marketing changes represent air mattresses as a preferred low-cost primary sleep environment. Analysis of current data surveillance systems, published position statements, and consumer materials from national organizations and federal agencies reveal opportunities for changing policy to better protect infants from this hazard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the development of the Bed Bugs and Book Bags curriculum in response to the recommendation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Topics covered include the curriculum's potential to be used as a model for educational bed bug material for higher grades, the need for students to demonstrate knowledge in accordance with state content standards and the process used in developing the curriculum.

Infestations of the common bed bug (Cimex lectularius L.) have increased substantially in the United States in the past 10–15 years. The housing authority in Harrisonburg, Virginia, conducts heat-treatments after bed bugs are detected in a lower-income housing complex, by treating each infested unit at 60°C for 4–6 hours. However, a high frequency of recurrent infestations called into question the efficacy of this strategy. Genetic analysis using Bayesian clustering of polymorphic microsatellite loci from 123 bed bugs collected from 23 units from May 2012 to April 2013 in one building indicated that (a) 16/21 (73%) infestations were genetically similar, suggesting ineffective heat-treatments or reintroductions from within the building or from a common external source, followed by local spread of existing populations; and (b) up to 5 of the infestations represented new genotypes, indicating that 5 new populations were introduced into this building in one year, assuming they were not missed in earlier screens. There was little to no gene flow among the 8 genetic clusters identified in the building. Bed bugs in the U.S. often possess one or both point mutations in the voltage-gated sodium channel, termed knockdown resistance (kdr), from valine to leucine (V419L) and leucine to isoleucine (L925I) that confer target-site resistance against pyrethroid insecticides. We found that 48/121 (40%) bed bugs were homozygous for both kdr mutations (L419/I925), and a further 59% possessed at least one of the kdr mutations. We conclude that ineffective heat treatments, new introductions, reintroductions and local spread, and an exceptionally high frequency of pyrethroid resistance are responsible for chronic infestations in lower-income housing. Because heat treatments fail to protect from reintroductions, and pesticide use has not decreased the frequency of infestations, preventing new introductions and early detection are the most effective strategies to avoid bed bug infestations in multistory apartment buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research suggests that the resurgence of bed bugs in the U.S. has occurred at an alarming rate. Assumptions have been made that socioeconomic status is not associated with the prevalence of bed bug infestations. Little information is available at the local level, however, about the prevalence of bed bugs in private homes. The authors' pilot study aimed to identify prevalence, knowledge, and concern about bed bugs in one higher income village in Ohio utilizing survey methodology. Responses from 96 individuals who completed the Prevalence, Knowledge, and Concern About Bed Bugs survey were utilized for analysis. The majority of the sample respondents were white and 95% reported that they owned their residence. Only 6% knew someone with bed bugs. Additionally, 52% reported they were somewhat concerned about bed bugs. About 46% reported that they had changed their behavior. For a higher income area, the prevalence was dissimilar to the rate reported in the general public (about 20%). This suggests that bed bugs may be an environmental issue effecting low-income populations disproportionately. Further research is needed in areas of differing socioeconomic levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the scientific evidence emerges, individuals and institutions faced with bed bug infestations find themselves without the legal protections that are available against legally recognized nuisances and threats to the public's health, such as rats or mosquitos. As a result, they are a good example of how individuals, institutions and municipalities struggle to use the patchwork of public and private legal remedies that are often inadequate to face an emerging threat. This unit is designed to help students gain an awareness that often no one statute or case can be invoked as a complete solution to a legal problem, as well as the inherent limits of legal solutions in addressing public health problems that stem from poverty and powerlessness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT This essay draws on fieldwork with American social workers, whose primary charge is to engage what they view as particularly recalcitrant human problems and populations. All the while, these workers find themselves in intensive engagements with bedbugs, which have recently infested the American imaginary, as well as the destitute sites of American social work. As every professional effort at elimination is met with bedbugs' seeming multiplication, eradicating bedbugs comes to be understood as both professional responsibility and practical impossibility-yet another example that the magnitude of the problems with which social workers are charged exceeds their abilities to resolve them. And yet these professionals neither succumb to burnout nor suffer a sustained sense of futility. Rather, bedbugs help them cultivate a sustaining occupational ethic, one that resonates with American systems theories and American Pragmatism. More specifically, human-bedbug engagements inspire a working formulation of agency that acknowledges the efficacies of non-human actors, understands human intention as the framing of, rather than fuel for what actually happens, and privileges the means over the ends of (professional) labor. With a focus on how human-bedbug engagements contribute to the development of folk theories of agency, this article demonstrates the fluidity with which social actors think about the possibilities for effective, meaningful (re)action and thereby contributes to the anthropology of agency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bed bugs have become a global epidemic and current detection tools are poorly suited for routine surveillance. Despite intense research on bed bug aggregation behavior and the aggregation pheromone, which could be used as a chemical lure, the complete composition of this pheromone has thus far proven elusive. Here, we report that the bed bug aggregation pheromone comprises five volatile components (dimethyl disulfide, dimethyl trisulfide, ( E)-2-hexenal, ( E)-2-octenal, 2-hexanone), which attract bed bugs to safe shelters, and one less-volatile component (histamine), which causes their arrestment upon contact. In infested premises, a blend of all six components is highly effective at luring bed bugs into traps. The trapping of juvenile and adult bed bugs, with or without recent blood meals, provides strong evidence that this unique pheromone bait could become an effective and inexpensive tool for bed bug detection and potentially their control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius L.) have resurged in the United States and globally. Bed bugs are hematophagous ectoparasites of humans and other animals, including domestic pets, chickens, and bats, and their blood feeding habits contribute to their potential as disease vectors. Several species of Bartonella are re-emergent bacterial pathogens that also affect humans, domestic pets, bats and a number of other wildlife species. Because reports of both bed bugs and Bartonella have been increasing in the U.S., and because their host ranges can overlap, we investigated whether the resurgences of these medically important pathogens and their potential vector might be linked, by screening for Bartonella spp. in bed bugs collected from geographic areas where these pathogens are prevalent and from bed bugs that have been in culture in the laboratory for several years. We screened a total of 331 bed bugs: 316 bed bugs from 36 unique collections in 29 geographic locations in 13 states, 10 bed bugs from two colonies maintained in the laboratory for 3 yr, and 5 bed bugs from a colony that has been in culture since before the recent resurgence of bed bugs. Bartonella spp. DNA was screened using a polymerase chain reaction assay targeting the 16S–23S rRNA intergenic transcribed spacer region. Bartonella DNA was not amplified from any bed bug, but five bed bugs from four different apartments of an elderly housing building in North Carolina contained DNA sequences that corresponded to Burkholderia multivorans, an important pathogen in nosocomial infections that was not previously linked to an arthropod vector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius L.) have resurged in the United States and globally. Bed bugs are hematophagous ectoparasites of humans and other animals, including domestic pets, chickens, and bats, and their blood feeding habits contribute to their potential as disease vectors. Several species of Bartonella are re-emergent bacterial pathogens that also affect humans, domestic pets, bats and a number of other wildlife species. Because reports of both bed bugs and Bartonella have been increasing in the U.S., and because their host ranges can overlap, we investigated whether the resurgences of these medically important pathogens and their potential vector might be linked, by screening for Bartonella spp. in bed bugs collected from geographic areas where these pathogens are prevalent and from bed bugs that have been in culture in the laboratory for several years. We screened a total of 331 bed bugs: 316 bed bugs from 36 unique collections in 29 geographic locations in 13 states, 10 bed bugs from two colonies maintained in the laboratory for 3 yr, and 5 bed bugs from a colony that has been in culture since before the recent resurgence of bed bugs. Bartonella spp. DNA was screened using a polymerase chain reaction assay targeting the 16S–23S rRNA intergenic transcribed spacer region. Bartonella DNA was not amplified from any bed bug, but five bed bugs from four different apartments of an elderly housing building in North Carolina contained DNA sequences that corresponded to Burkholderia multivorans, an important pathogen in nosocomial infections that was not previously linked to an arthropod vector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the basic information on the life cycle and feeding habits of bedbugs. It provides various bite consequences, infestation and treatment. It mentions several prevention methods through awareness methods. It suggests that well informed public can take steps to limit exposures and prevent spread of these parasites.

This article discusses a report on acute diseases associated with the use of insecticides to control bed bugs in the U.S. from 2003 to 2010. Released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the report identified the factors which contributed to illnesses, including excessive insecticide application and failure to wash or change pesticide-treated bedding. It also presented some illnesses caused by insecticide exposure, including headache and upper respiratory tract pain.

Purpose – When reports that better clothing stores and hotels in the USA found themselves in the embarrassing position of acknowledging that they had indeed been infested with bedbugs, other organizations and institutions, including some libraries, have been on the alert ever since for similar evidence of such infestations. The purpose of this column is to discuss the recent reports of the re-appearance of bedbugs and the impact they have had on some libraries. Design/methodology/approach – The paper's approach is a literature review and commentary on this topic. Findings – From the library perspective, any sign of bedbugs must be attended to immediately so that the infestation does not spread further. There are two proven and effective measures that can be undertaken by a library to address this issue – exposing the books to extreme heat or extreme cold – but placing the staff at risk should always be a consideration when attempting a self-eradication in a library as well. Therefore, engaging a professional exterminator at the first visible sign of bedbug infestation should always be seen as a potential solution. Originality/value – The value in addressing this issue is to create an awareness that the re-appearance of bedbugs in some libraries is very real as indicated by the reporting of this issue in the media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the threat of bed bug on public health and prevention and treatment guidance for health educators in educating public regarding bed bug. It states that the survey of National Pest Management Association (NPMA) and the University of Kentucky reveals that 85% of respondents had experienced bed bug infestations. It mentions that education and communication play a significant role in bed bug control program.

The article discusses the resurgence of bed bugs. An overview of Cimex lectularias, the species of bed bug most adapted to living in human conditions in Central Asia, Europe and North America, is given. Data from the National Pest Management Association showed that bed bug-related extermination calls rose by 80 percent. Some reasons for the resurgence of bed bugs are discussed, including immigration, over-crowding in residential properties and changes in pest control practice.

The article focuses on the dilemma surrounding the use of pesticide propoxur by pest control professionals for treatment of bed bugs. As reported, Matt Beal, the acting chief of the Plant Industry Division of the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) submitted a request to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for an exemption allowing the use of propoxur in the treatment of bed bugs. However the there are issues surrounding its use. According to one research study the pesticide remains detectable in indoor air even after weeks of application and this can be dangerous for the fetus in pregnant women and small children.There are other alternatives available to tackle the problem which include steam heating, diatomaceous earth, and volumetric heating. INSET: Propoxur and the Regulatory Process: Information From U.S. EPA.

ABSTRACT Bed bugs, Cinwx lectularius L. (Hemiptera: Cimicidae), are a fast-growing urban pest of significant public health importance in the United States and many other countries. Yet, there is very little field research on the ecology of this pest due to its near absence in the United States and most developed nations for several decades. We investigated characteristics of the bed bug infestation and dispersal in a 223-unit high-rise apartment building through visual inspections, intercepting devices, and resident and staff interviews between December 2008 and April 2009. The following results were obtained: 1)101 apartments (45% of the high-rise building complex) experienced bed bug infestations (within 41 mo of the first confirmed introduction), 2) 78% of the bed bugs trapped were nymphs, 3) an average of six bed bugs were detected dispersing through apartment entry doors every 4 wk, 4) adult bed bugs were 9 times more likely to disperse than nymphs, 5) 53% of apartments adjacent to infested apartments also were infested, and 6) 50% of the interviewed residents who had infestations were unaware of the bed bugs in their apartments. In addition to active dispersal, several passive bed bug dispersal mechanisms were observed: bringing bed bug-infested furniture into the building, travel, resident turnover, resident visits, and use of a bed bug-infested wheelchair in building common areas. These findings validate an urgent need for public education, early detection, and adoption of more effective bed bug monitoring and intervention programs to curb the exploding problem of bed bug infestations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is the first report of the tropical bed bug in Florida in over 6 decades. The tropical bed bug had previously been documented in Florida in the 1930s and 1940s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bedbug (Cimex lectularis) infestations have become a major complaint in all but three states in the United States. Increasing infestations have also been reported in Asia, Australia, Europe, and Canada. Newspaper articles often herald the onset of a new health issue for the public, and they can be used for epidemiological tracking of increasing populations of irritating and potentially serious vectoring pests. This news coverage model is useful in validating the typical spread of a new contagious entity, or in predicting the waves of public reaction to the spread of a new pest or health problem. The authors' analysis covers the years 2001 to 2006, showing the incidence of bedbug news coverage from the East Coast, the Midwest, the South, and the West in the United States. Rural and urban examples are included in a four-year time frame starting with news in the Northeast and ending with an attempt to eradicate the pest from the state of Hawaii. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers news briefs related to occupational safety and health in the U.S. Kimberly-Clark Professional has launched the Healthy Workplace Project. Certification programs from the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) have been accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has created a database that list all pesticides for use against bed bugs.

• Quantifies consumer willingness to pay (WTP) to avoid bed bugs in hotels and economic loss due to bed bug infection • Consumer WTP is irrelevant to prior knowledge and experience with bed bugs but is related to the degree of concerns on bed bugs • Diminishing impact of reports of bed bugs on consumer WTP but explicit mentioning of bed bugs generates strong negative effect • WTP to avoid bed bugs is higher than that for complimentary breakfast • Business travellers have different values and perceptions to leisure travellers The resurgence of bed bugs in the United States creates challenges for hotels and motels. One aspect that is especially important to hospitality are reports of bed bugs and how they affect travellers' selection and potential damage to hotel brands. To address this issue, we conduct a choice experiment of a national sample of US travellers. We find that consumers expectedly respond negatively to reports of bed bugs, and they are sensitive to the number of reports of bed bugs. Through consumer Willingness to Pay for a hotel room, we quantify the negative impact of reports of bed bugs on the hotel industry through lost room premium. Expectedly, avoiding bed bugs is more valuable among those who worry more about bed bugs, but prior knowledge and experience have no effect. How explicitly the reports of bed bugs are disclosed to travellers affects their reaction and Willingness to Pay greatly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Providers in the pediatric emer-gency department frequently encounter ectoparasitic infestations. Infestations require early recognition and knowledge of effective treatment strategies. Last month, the author reviewed scabies, chiggers, and lice. This month, the bedbugs and ticks will come biting! [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]