Health Officials Meet Over BedBug Concerns

Officials Meet at BedBug Summit

Among the hundreds of public officials in attendance at a Washington summit on the recent spread of bedbugs, were representatives from the Department of Agriculture, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The number of high level government officials is indicative of the increasing severity of the issue, which has now spread to every state in the United States. According to EPA representative Bill Diamond, “It used to just be concentrated in hot spots but now we’re seeing them pop up in lots of places.” The focus of the summit is on sharing information and eventually developing a strategy, at a national level, to deal with the spread.

The pests were virtually eradicated in the U.S. in the past when pesticides, now deemed toxic to humans, were used to combat bedbugs and other common pests. According to the experts now, the bugs are becoming more and more resistant to the chemicals currently in use. The variety of the bedbugs world-wide adds to the problem of finding the right chemical mix, and with increased international travel, in recent years, the spread has grown dramatically.

Until the experts come up with a final solution, some tips to avoid exposure are to never buy a used mattress, and keep your sleeping quarters free of clutter. When checking into a hotel room, before you unpack, check in the seams of the mattress and furniture for any small dark blood stains left behind by the bugs. If you find any signs of infestation, report it immediately and get a new room. Also, say expert travelers, you should never lay your luggage on the furniture or beds overnight, use the luggage stands instead.