Bedbugs - back from the brink

Abstract

Most people involved in urban pest control in developed countries 10 years ago would have agreed that bedbugs were almost consigned to history. Around 5 years ago, however, something changed, with the result that bedbugs are back in force. Bedbugs now cause serious concern, both to those controlling the problems, and especially to those on the receiving end.The outbreak is a classic urban pest management problem, with a wide range of interested parties, such as the public, the pesticide and pest control industries, the hospitality industry, housing organisations, the media, the health service and local government. The outbreak also raises issues such as our ability to deal with such outbreaks on both a technical level, and a broader administrative level. There must also be questions of how we can support the necessary research into pests that are of intense but sporadic impact.At the same time, those involved with the problem are extremely relieved that bedbugs, despite their multiple blood-feeding habits, do not appear to transmit any human pathogens, or we may have been looking at a far more serious situation.

A Door-to-Door Survey of Bed Bug (Cimex lectularius) Infestations in Row Homes in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

“…Previous studies have noted the intimate connections between row homes including party walls, shared piping, and joist holes. 9,30,31 Such connections may facilitate the active dispersal of insects between adjacent houses. The lack of significant clustering on city blocks, however, suggests that the active movement of insects between houses is limited, and the presence of insects throughout the study area suggests that the rate of active dispersal is overshadowed by the rate of passive dispersal.…”

“…Bed bugs can be spread passively, predominantly by human movement. 9 Such passive spread involves the transport of insects on hosts and their effects, including clothing, luggage, and furniture. Bed bugs can also spread actively from site to site.…”

Bedbug Complaints among Public Housing Residents—New York City, 2010–2011

“…[1][2][3] These pests are now of increasing concern to residents in cities across the USA. 1,[4][5][6] In the 2009 New York City (NYC) Community Health Survey (CHS), a random-digit-dialed telephone survey of adult noninstitutionalized residents, 7 % reported a problem with bedbugs that required an exterminator during the previous year.…”

“…4,16 This lack of research activity or tracking is likely caused in part by bedbugs not being a substantial concern during the latter half of the 20th century. 1,2 In light of the recent resurgence of bedbugs, however, identifying risk factors and health effects associated with having bedbug infestations is now necessary for devising effective bedbug control strategies. 4,17 The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) is the largest public housing authority in the USA with a mission of serving low-and middle-income residents.…”

Nitrophorins and nitrobindins: structure and function

“…In the second half of the 20th century, the use of pesticides significantly decreased the spread of Cl in Europe (86). However, it has been recently reported that a dramatic increase of the diffusion of this parasite has occurred due to the higher incidence of international travel, immigration and insecticide resistance (85,87).…”