Bedbugs
>> Monday, July 07, 2008
Do you think that the government should join the war against bedbugs?
Is there no problem that can't be solved by more regulations?
I'm sure those bedbugs are quaking in their...err...boots over this bill.
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10 comments:
hi i'm just wondering if you have dealt personally with bed bugs? I just moved into an apartment here in Iowa, only to find out it's infested with bed bugs. I don't think people want to deal with this, believe me. Folks don't know what a problem these are, and it costs thousands to exterminate for them, once they infest a residence. It's only becoming more of a problem in the country-if you do a little research on it. It's a major health issue as well...as they cause allergic reactions in most folks. Just do a good search on "bed bugs" and you are going to learn a lot. If they are infesting here in Iowa-they've already hit the cities big time. You'll also be checking the sheets at hotels too from now on. If folks knew how many hotels were infested with them, they'd be highly alarmed....
I haven't dealt with a large bedbug outbreak personally, but I’ve dealt with bedbugs all my life… just like every other human in the history of the world. Also, I have been a partner with an Allergist in a company that makes educational software for physicians in the practice of allergy.
I know WAY more about avoidance measures than is safe for a non-MD. For instance: use a hot wash for sheets, at least once a week - twice a week for people with severe allergies; bathe before going to bed and wear pajamas - the bedbugs eat dead skin cells, this reduces their food supply; vacuum at least once a week - use a HEPA filter but otherwise there is no need to buy a special vacuum; if your allergies are severe, remove the carpet in the bedroom and vacuum the walls - carpet keeps those pesky allergic triggers around for a long time, ditto for the walls.
Current thought in the allergy/asthma world is that the rise in case-load can be attributed to the fact that we have such clean lifestyles, AC that keeps out much of the pollen; we don’t let our kids get dirty and eat mud-pies. Then, later in life, their bodies aren’t used to it, so reacts poorly to the triggers. Many allergists are recommending new parents let their kids get dirty, run around outside and otherwise behave like kids have up until the past couple of decades.
Of course people have to deal with this; it's a fact of nature. Flies buzz, plants need CO2 to survive and bedbugs find our sheets. How can government legislation make any difference what so ever?
I meant to post this above and hit enter too soon. I am a partner in LCDmd, which makes software to help physicians teach patients to take care of themselves.
Bed bugs don't eat dead skin, they eat blood. You are mixing them up with "dust mites" which are a totally different creature...Bed bugs were erradicated in this country during the 1950's because of DDT, they have now returned....you haven't dealt with them all your life, because they haven't been here...until the last 5 years. You don't get rid of them by just washing your bed sheets....they live in baseboards, dressers, clothers, appliances, walls..curtains, the list goes on. Like I mentioned, do a google search...and you'll learn. This is a MAJOR problem right now, which is only going to get worse. If you get these in your home...you need professionals to come in to get them out/ but "everything" you own in a deep freeze-which they have now created trucks for this/they also need to steam clean basically your entire home. If you do research you'll see....peopel don't want these in their homes...believe me. Also do a search on Des Moines and bed bugs...you'll see what's happening.
some links:
http://www.kcci.com/health/16772419/detail.html
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/bedbugs/
one more....
these are about the size of an apple seed-dust mites you can't see, and they don't come out at night to bite people in their homes or in hotels from the baseboards, carpets, etc. They are now even being found in public areas-taxi cabs, movie theatres, etc. Like I said-it's a national issue...
http://www.hillsdale.net/news/x544081842/Blood-sucking-bed-bugs-return-to-U-S-county-may-be-next
just one more comment here, taken from a personal story-of how bed bugs are effecting folks lives taken from a NYC times article on bed bugs:
I just moved quickly from my Upper East Side apartment to the West side after itchy "hives" since the summer. I left almost all of my belongings behind, documented my 4 trips to different doctors and the hospital for the three months, and left a letter for the Management Company with my doorman along with the keys and the cable boxes. I used several exterimators who agreed that the apartment was fully infested, I lost every book I ever owned as there were "baby" bedbugs in every binding. The grown ones were in my dressers, my bed, my book case, 80 percent of my clothing, and a oak and maple coffee table. I bought all new belongings, and still had my new apartment treated by an exterminator. Now, the management company seems to believe they have a lawsuit against me. I was not in a lease, so I owe them nothing. I have lost thousands of photos, memories, spent nearly 20k moving and re-buying furtiture. I hope that there are advocates in the city who are able to help people like me. I nearly fractured my right foot when I had an allegic reaction to the steriods I was given to treat the "hives," that were in fact dozen of bites. I never slept toward the end, I scratched all night with bugs all over me, and this has to become a property managment issue in NY -- not merely a tenant issue. I had to use the CDC and Hardvard School of Public Health Websites to guide me on proper evactuation. This is a serious issue in our city, I hope we all get serious about it and make some noise.
You are correct, I was thinking of dust-mites in my earlier post. However, I can think of nothing more disastrous than getting the government involved. Look what they did when DDT was banned. That's the type of "help" to expect from them.
actually down the road I do see the government getting involved, whether it be through the Centers for disease control funding or other funding outlets. As this will be a public health issue for sure-it already is, if they don't come up with some sort of chemical again to wipe them out. The problem is growing too fast. People will not want these on trains, buses, public areas, like they are in other parts of the world. And that is exactly what will happen, as the growth of these continue in the US, as they are now. If you google, you'll see it's a huge issue in Australia, and China is very worried about dealing with it for the olympics-and especially with all the international visitors, bringing more of them in. It'll be funded in the future, i'm sure by some national organization.
here is an article that just appeared in USA today, the problem unfortunetly is getting only bigger in the country:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2008-08-20-bedbugs-dorms_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip
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