Let’s talk about bed bugs. Although once considered a problem of the past, bed bugs are now found in the United States and around the world. As many as one in five Americans have either had a bed bug infestation or know someone who has had it (NPMA 2022). In fact, pest control companies receive so many requests for bed bug services that Orkin produces an annual “Top 50 Bed Bug Cities Report,” which ranks cities based on the number of bed bug treatments Orkin technicians have performed over a 12-month period.
Large metro areas regularly make their way into Orkin’s report – which makes sense. The more people there are, the greater the chance of bed bug infestation and the greater the need for bed bug control. However, just because metropolitan areas dominate the list doesn’t mean that smaller, rural communities are exempt from bed bug problems. The truth is, wherever people are, bed bugs can find them.
Perhaps more disconcerting than learning the cities with the most bed bugs is finding out the environments where bed bugs really thrive. The 2018 Professional Pest Management Alliance Bugs Without Borders Survey found that pest management professionals (PMPs) most commonly find bed bugs in single-family homes, apartments/condos, and hotels/motels (PPMA 2018). In other words, people discover bed bugs in the places they would normally go for personal rest, comfort, and safety. Despite what their name might suggest, however, bed bugs infest more environments than just those with beds. Commercial buildings such as schools, libraries, emergency rooms, and office buildings are also vulnerable to attacks.
Bed bug piercing the skin to take a blood meal.
Bed Bug: National Pest Management Association
The fact that bed bugs live where people feel most comfortable and quietly feed on unsuspecting people can make a person unfamiliar with bed bugs feel like there is no safe place to where it can hide from this pest. Many people may also feel powerless to eradicate bed bugs once they have invaded. For these reasons and more, a bed bug infestation can negatively impact individuals, communities, and organizations.
The consequences of an infestation can be physical, mental, social, financial, unintended and/or legal. However, when dealing with bed bugs on a daily basis, it is easy for a professional to forget how deeply and profoundly this bug affects so many people. As a refresher, this article is part of a two-part series (Editor’s Note: Part two will appear in the December 2022 issue) that outlines the many different effects bed bugs have on humans and underscores the importance of controlling this pest while protecting public health. To begin, this article outlines the direct negative effects that bed bugs can have on an individual.
PHYSICAL EFFECTS. Bed bugs affect people physically when they bite a person to drink blood. The bite alone pierces the skin and in some cases feels uncomfortable. However, the bites can also cause a variety of additional physical reactions. A survey of people living in a building with a known bed bug infestation found that 70 percent of respondents had some type of skin reaction (Potter, F., et al. 2010). Skin reactions can vary from small red spots to large, very itchy bumps. These reactions can also cause people to scratch themselves, which can lead to the introduction of bacteria and subsequent secondary skin infections (EPA 2022).
The physical effects can also go beyond skin reactions. Some people may experience systemic reactions such as asthma, wheals, and (less commonly) anaphylaxis (Goddard, J. and R. deShazo. 2009). Additionally, people living in high infestation environments can experience anemia caused by blood loss from the massive amount of bed bugs feeding on blood meals. Healthcare-related infections (also known as nosocomial infections) can occur when a person contracts an infection after being exposed to bed bugs during medical treatment. Lack of sleep and stress can also affect physical well-being. Finally, although bed bugs are not known for spreading pathogens, research has shown that they have the potential to do so.
Mental Health Effects. People can also experience psychological effects during and after a bed bug infestation. Humans build shelters to protect themselves from many external threats, including other arthropods such as flies, ticks, mosquitoes, and fleas. And while these critters sometimes invade buildings designed for our protection, bed bugs (unlike many other pests) depend on humans for their survival. They stay in our homes, live in our beds, and drink our blood without our consent. This reality can make a person feel hurt by this pest.
Has a customer ever expressed a queasy or itchy feeling when discussing bed bugs? That physical sensation when thinking about bed bugs illustrates something powerful: Just the thought of bed bugs can trigger an emotional stress response. This emotional response is just a very small psychological impact that bed bugs have on people. Unfortunately, individuals exposed to a bed bug infestation can develop several very serious mental health consequences. Researchers have documented that people experience stress, anxiety, depression, worsening pre-existing conditions, suicidal thoughts or attempts, and suicide associated with bed bugs (Ashcroft, R., et al. 2015).
Cimex lectularius, the bed bug.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Public Health Image Library
Worse, long after the physical symptoms of a bed bug infestation have subsided, the mental health effects can linger. The Mayo Clinic describes post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a mental health condition characterized by intense negative emotions and difficulties in coping months to years after a traumatic incident (TMC 2018). By definition, PTSD caused by a bed bug encounter is a long-term, negative health outcome. Environments where a person has experienced bed bugs in the past can trigger sudden, intense emotions that leave the person disoriented and anxious. Even in settings where a person has not previously been associated with bed bugs, people with a history of bed bugs have reported insomnia and anxiety.
social impact. People live in complex social environments made up of family, friends, acquaintances and strangers. If a person doesn’t get enough/or the right kind of socialization, they can experience loneliness and social isolation, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognizes as a serious public health risk (CDC 2021). Isolation and loneliness can make a person feel sad, depressed, and/or ashamed. Additionally, those who experience loneliness and social isolation are at increased risk of premature death, dementia, heart disease, stroke, and other mental health outcomes (CDC 2021).
The effects that a client experiences with a bed bug infestation on a daily basis can feel overwhelming and exhausting. The EPA has officially declared bed bugs a public health concern.
Unfortunately, those dealing with a bed bug infestation can experience loneliness, stigma, and social isolation (Ashcroft, R., et al. 2015). Elderly people who live alone or in nursing homes and have a history of bed bugs may have family and friends unwilling to visit them. People of all ages can feel embarrassed about having bed bugs and experience stigma from people in their communities. Bullies can annoy and torment children living with an infestation. All of these effects can leave people feeling isolated and lacking the love and support they need, which can be detrimental to their mental and physical health.
Final Thoughts. Some might think of bed bugs as just another urban pest – a creepy crawly that has invaded a home and needs to be eradicated. However, the impact a customer experiences with an infestation on a daily basis can feel overwhelming and exhausting. The EPA has officially declared bed bugs a public health concern (EPA 2022), and the agency released a joint statement with the CDC highlighting some of the consequences associated with Cimex lectularius (bed bugs) (CDC, EPA. 2010) . Given this reality, killing bed bugs is more than just a pest control, it’s a service that protects public health.
Because bed bugs have such a diverse impact on people, communities, and organizations, a single article could not adequately cover all of the complex issues. However, the infestation effects listed above illustrate some of the intense and personal consequences that bed bugs have on individuals. Therefore, the discussion here is not intended to be exhaustive. However, one thing is abundantly clear from the cited research and personal experience: controlling bed bugs protects people and public health and alleviates human suffering. Without the hard work and dedication of PMPs, even more people would feel the extremely negative effects of this pest.
