Bedbug resurgence, avoidance and treatment discussed at AAD meeting

A recent resurgence of bedbugs in the United States and its effect on patients was discussed during a presentation at the American Academy of Dermatology’s 2015 Summer Academy Meeting in New York.

“The worst effects of a bedbug infestation are usually psychological rather than physical,” Theodore Rosen, MD, FAAD, professor of dermatology, Baylor College of Medicine and chief of dermatology, Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Houston, said in a press release.

A person bitten by bedbugs will likely awaken with red, swollen, itchy bites after going to bed with no symptoms, according to the release. Bites often appear in clusters, since bedbugs tend to bite multiple times, Rosen reported.

A topical corticosteroid can be used to treat bedbug bites and alleviate itching, according to the release. Since bedbugs are not known to carry any diseases, further treatment is usually unnecessary, Rosen stated. If patients receive many bites, they might experience anemia, but that is extremely rare, he said.

Rosen reported that the resurgence of bedbugs can be traced to a ban on strong insecticides, including DDT. This coincided with the development of safe chemicals that could kill cockroaches, a natural predator of bedbugs, according to Rosen.

Other reasons for the resurgence include increasing air travel, which creates opportunities for bedbugs to travel with passengers, and the popularity of “shabby chic” secondhand furniture, which bedbugs may infest, Rosen reported. Bedbugs also have mutated over time to develop resistance to insecticides, he said in the release.

“It was kind of like the perfect storm,” Rosen stated in the release.

Rosen reported that bedbugs tend to remain within a radius of 3 feet of a bed in hotel rooms, and he recommended that travelers check the mattress, box springs and headboard and inside and the back of nightstands for any signs of infestation. Signs may include specs of blood, small dark spots of bedbug excrement and discarded outer shells of bedbugs. Heavy infestation might be indicated through a sweet, musty odor in the room, according to the release.

If bedbugs are observed, travelers should request another room that is not adjacent to, or immediately above, the infested room.

If travelers suspect they have picked up bedbugs, they should inspect all belongings, ideally before bringing items inside. All clothes should be washed and dried using the hottest settings, and luggage should be vacuumed or steamed.

“Anyone can get bedbugs, no matter how clean or careful they are,” Rosen said in the release.

Reference: www.aad.org