Bedbugs are small and wingless (non-flying), with flat oval-shaped bodies and six legs .They are reddish-brown in color, and may appear redder after feeding on blood. Adult bedbugs reach about 0.25 inches (5 to 7 mm) in length, and the body elongates and widens after a meal. Bedbugs are obligate blood-feeding insects that may infest human dwellings and may induce local skin reactions in humans.

Although they usually hide close to the bed, they can spread to other areas of your home over time.

Bedbugs typically bite at night on exposed areas of skin. Bites typically occur on the face, neck, hands, and arms, and may be noticed upon awakening or one to several days after the bites. The bite itself is painless. Bedbugs themselves are rarely seen by the patient.

A bedbug bite most often appears as a small punctum without a surrounding reaction. Some patients may have only asymptomatic itching small rash

When a reaction occurs, a bedbug bite can exhibit a 2 to 5 mm red papule or wheal with a central bleeding punctum. The sites of skin reactions are frequently itching. Occasionally, affected individuals have more severe reactions with blisters.

Patients should maintain good hygiene and avoid scratching to prevent infection.

 

Prevention:

The mobile nature of bed bugs limits their prevention. Avoidance is especially challenging in hotels, motels, and apartments because occupants and their belongings are constantly changing. This affords many opportunities for the bugs to be introduced. Householders should be wary of acquiring secondhand beds, bedding, and furniture. At a minimum, such items should be examined closely before being brought into the home. When traveling in countries where bed bugs are prevalent, it might be prudent to examine the bed and headboard area for signs of the bugs, and elevate luggage off the floor.  Warehouses, storage facilities, trucks and railroad cars may be infested so common bed bugs can infest homes by stowing away on new furniture stored or shipped from these places. Familiarity may help to avoid infestation, or at least prompt earlier intervention by a professional.

 

• Keep bedding from touching the floor
• Vacuum your mattress regularly
• Vacuum your carpet regularly – under and over
• Wash your bedding to the highest setting the fabric will withstand
• If you carry a suitcase to your apartment, lay it across the bath if you do not have a luggage holder – once you have unpacked, you should wash the suitcase with a sponge (with water/disinfectant). 
• Use antibacterial wipes generally around your home
• Wipe soles of shoes with antibacterial wipes/soapy sponge regularly
• Wipe lap top and its crevices with antibacterial wipes/soapy sponge regularly
• When you visit the pool, ensure the towels which you have used on the sun bed and for drying yourself are placed in a laundry bag(plastic) separate from your normal clothing and wash in the highest setting the fabric will withstand
• Undress on a hard surface, rather than on your carpet, towel or bathroom mat
• Moreover, take care that bed bugs may have hitched a ride on your clothing, particularly if you have used public seating, hotel facilities or public transport – including taxis.

By Dr. Fatemeh Aghanasiri, M.D. (MCC) – Medicentres, Downtown