Bed Bug Bite Symptoms

Bed Bug Bite Symptoms

Bed bug bites look like little red bumps and often occur in a unique bite pattern of a linear group of three, sometimes referred to as a "breakfast, lunch, dinner" pattern. Bedbug bites are often in this pattern, but can also occur singly.
The effect of these bites on humans varies from person to person, but typical symptoms are welts and swelling that are more itchy and longer-lasting than mosquito bites. Some people, however, have little or no reaction.

Bites and Disease

Bites and Disease

Health organizations around the world will attest that bed bugs pose no real threat, nor do they spread disease. Even though a bed bug bite will leave saliva under the skin of the host, these bites do not cause or transfer any types of disease. This fact separates the bed bug from other bloodsucking insects like mosquitoes, which transfer malaria, dengue and a host of other ailments. There is, however, a definite downside to receiving a bed bug bite. The skin will be irritated and itchy, with marks at the affected area. Bed bug bites may look the same as those caused by other insects, like mosquito bites. Some people who have been bitten by bed bugs will suffer with blemished skin. Repeated bites will result in many wounds. Some people will suffer with allergic reactions that may lead to more serious skin irritations. Even though bed bugs may not pose any serious health hazards, the itchiness and irritation of the bites themselves, and just the sheer discomfort of sleeping in an infested bed, should be reason enough to seek treatment and rid your home of these pesky critters.

Fox News Employee sues over bed bugs - claims PTSD

Fox News Employee sues over bed bugs - claims PTSD

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A Fox News employee who says she suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder after being bitten by bedbugs at work filed a lawsuit on Thursday against the owner of the Manhattan office tower where she worked. Jane Clark, 37, a 12-year veteran of Fox News, a unit of News Corp, said she complained to human resources after being bitten three times between October 2007 and April 2008. She said she was ridiculed and the office was not treated for months.

Clark, who says she's been diagnosed with PTSD and can no longer work, has filed a separate workers compensation claim with News Corp, and the company is paying her medical bills and lost wages. A News Corp spokeswoman declined to comment because News Corp was not named in the lawsuit.


"It's their obligation to the working public to provide a safe environment," Schnurman [her lawyer] said.

It's War Against Bed Bugs

It's war against bed bugs
Health board seeks $75Gs to aid 'vulnerable' tenants
By BRYN WEESE, SUN MEDIA
Last Updated: 18th November 2008, 2:14am

Bed bugs have finally bitten Toronto Public Health -- but not hard enough, according to some critics.
The board agreed yesterday to ask the city for $75,000 one-time emergency money to help vulnerable people who are not currently on social services have their apartments made ready for bed bug spraying treatments that are the landlords' responsibility.
Public Health also decided to expand the city's "bug and scrub" program, which helps residents on either Ontario Works or disability move their furniture and clean their apartments. It also struck a team of three board members to work with service agencies to decide what more Public Health can do to curb bed bugs in the city.
The blood-sucking bugs have prompted 1,444 calls to public health officials for help -- up from 147 calls in 2006 -- in the first seven months of this year.
But according to some social service providers, the city's response to what they call a "health hazard" is not enough.
Sandra Van, of South Etobicoke's LAMP Community Health Care, said her organization pulled out of the city's bed bug steering committee when it appeared no one was taking the issue seriously enough.
"A comprehensive approach with adequate resources needs to be made immediately," she said, noting she thinks bed bugs should be declared a health hazard. "This report, including the suggested future actions, do not adequately address the problem."
Even some city councillors aren't completely satisfied.
"It's basically an excuses report," charged Councillor Howard Moscoe, who told the board he represents one of the city's most infected buildings. In a letter to the board, he urged it to declare the bugs a "health hazard".
"I know it's not an infectious disease, and I know that (bed bugs) don't kill people, but I think we have to start treating it as if it did."
Dr. David McKeown, Toronto's medical officer of health, acknowledged bed bugs are an increasing problem.
"I understand that people are frustrated, that for people, particularly vulnerable individuals who are facing severe infestations, this is a very distressing situation," he said. "The $75,000 certainly isn't enough to deal with the whole problem, but it's an urgent need."
He said the nearly 1,000% increase in calls concerning bed bugs not only has to do with increased infestations, but also probably reflects the fact that more people are reporting them.
Councillor Paula Fletcher, who sits on the health board, agreed yesterday's decisions won't solve the problem.
"This is not the final report, there is more work to be done," she said, noting another report will come to the health board in March.

Urban Critters

Urban critters: The bed bug

Nicholas Read, Vancouver SunPublished: Saturday, October 25, 2008
What it's called: The bed bug, or in Latin, Cimex lectularius.
What it looks like: A small wingless oval-shaped insect, no more than half a centimetre long, that looks like something out of the Cretaceous period. Its light tan to deep brown flat body is formed by six distinct horizontal plates that give it the appearance of armour, while its head is vaguely reminiscent of a triceratops.
Where to find it: All over the world. It became scarce in developed nations in the latter part of the 20th Century, but has since made a big comeback, to the consternation and disgust of hotel patrons everywhere. It's particularly fond of small crevices, which is why it likes mattresses and bed frames so much. It also will stow away in luggage, furniture and even pillows. Definitely time to say "yech!" It travels from apartment to apartment or hotel suite to hotel suite through cracks in walls or tiny holes made for wires or pipes.

What it eats: The blood of warm-blooded animals, including bats, birds, dogs, cats and humans. That is why it's such a menace to us. It also is primarily nocturnal so it does its hunting and blood-sucking at night.
What eats it: Other kinds of bugs and arthropods including house centipedes, masked hunter bugs and fire ants.
In the American Southwest, the traditional cure for bed bugs is to throw your mattress on a nest of fire ants. Though then there is the problem of how to get rid of the ants.
How it reproduces: Through something called traumatic insemination.
Instead of inserting his genitalia into the female's reproductive tract in the way of most copulating partners, the male has to pierce the female almost in the way of a hypodermic needle and then ejaculate sperm throughout her body cavity. His reward? Being father of up to five bed bug eggs a day, or up to 500 in a lifetime.
What happens when you're bitten: It depends on you and your skin type. But typically an itchy red welt will result up to nine days after being bitten. Some unlucky individuals may be allergic to the bed bug's saliva and so will suffer nausea or other types of illness.
© The Vancouver Sun 2008