Bed bugs too can affect your health
Although bed bug bites themselves are not harmful to humans, affects of their bites can cause health complications such as sleep deprivation and anemia from loss of blood. NET PHOTO
What you need to know:
- The effects of bed bugs on human health include allergic reactions, anemia, breathing problems and sleep deprivation, among others. The only way to avoid these is to kill the infestation.
Annet Joselyn Atuhairwe, an entomologist at the department of Disease Control and Environmental Health Makerere University School of Public Health, says bed bugs can be found in tiny spaces including gaps in furniture, cracks in walls, behind wallpaper, photo frames, seams and crevices in mattresses given their flat body structures.
In the event that a human host is not present, Fredrick Oporia, an entomologist researcher at Makerere University School of Public Health, says: “Bedbugs will feed on rabbits, rats, mice, poultry and other birds. It is, therefore, necessary to control pests from infesting pets and limit sleeping with domestic animals under the same roof.”
Telling their presence
These entomologists say there are three bedbug species. However, only two Cimex lectularius and Cimex hemipterus are closely associated with human beings. The presence of bed bugs, especially Cimex lectularius is characterised by dark spotting and staining on bedsheets, beds, furniture and wallpaper. However, in absence of all these, Oporia says one can also tell that bedbugs are in a room by their characteristic ‘buggy’ or musty smell.
Infestation
Atuhairwe says bedbugs are normally introduced into new environments by luggage, clothing, suitcases, boxes and other personal belongings. She therefore advises against buying old and used furniture such as beds and chairs. One can also pick up the bugs from seats in buses/taxis used for public transport. The bugs are particularly a problem in hotels, lodges, schools, prisons and public couches.
Diseases
While bedbugs are not known to cause any disease, they are a biting nuisance that Atuhairwe says can cause skin irritation in some people and iron deficiency in infants and elderly people. While there is no evidence that bed bugs transmit diseases, some studies have isolated Hepatitis B virus and 27 other disease causing pathogens in bedbugs.
Bed Bugs during pregnancy
According to bedbug insider, an online portal, if a woman is pregnant, this makes specific health issues much more severe. However, this does not apply to bed bugs. Bed bugs during pregnancy are no worse than at any other time.
The main issue is that they might cause added and unnecessary stress. They disturb your sleep and make you anxious, which you do not need when you are carrying a baby.
Bed bugs and babies
The site adds that since newborns are sensitive, it is vital that you keep them away from anything that could harm them. Bed bugs will not hurt them, but they will cause itchy spots. Also, a baby that is bitten a dozen or more times might get anemia.
Sleep deprivation
Atuhairwe says over time, bed bugs make it difficult to sleep. When you have bed bugs, going to bed becomes a disgusting, disturbing, even frightening experience. Getting to sleep becomes harder and over time, the effect can add up leading to other complications.
In severe cases, the amount of time spent not sleeping is similar to having a young child. Combined with disturbed sleep resulting from bites, this can have severe effects on your health.
Control
Annet Joselyn Atuhairwe, an entomologist at the Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health Makerere University School of Public Health, shares ways to deal with these parasites:
Fumigation of infested houses using insecticides and pesticides.
If you are not doing the fumigation yourself, guide the fumigator if you want a thorough job done. Always remember to do your fumigation every after seven days for a minimum of one month.
