 Bedbugs
These bugs of all kinds are getting around. Some of the info here, I would think applies to morgellons as well, such as keeping your home as clean as possible.
What’s bugging you in bed?
By Rich Maloof for MSN Health & Fitness
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention has been studying re-emerging infestations in Canada to help understand why numbers have been increasing here in the States. In October 2006, The New York Times reported that instances of bedbugs in rental apartments had doubled in 2005 and that 2006 was expected to be a record-breaking year.
The nationwide rise in bedbug populations is widely attributed to increased travel: We’re dealing with an international bug that is easily transported in suitcases or shipped items. “Another theory is based on changes to our pest-management practices,” offers Carolyn Klass, an entomologist at Cornell University in New York. “We used to do routine spraying for pests such as cockroaches, but now we’ve gone to bait technology, where the pest comes to the bait. That’s better for people and for the environment but it may be contributing to the resurgence of bedbugs.”
Unlike some mosquitos and ticks, the bedbug commonly found in the U.S. (Cimex lectularius) is not known to carry disease. Someone who has been bitten many times may experience allergic symptoms such as itchy bumps or a rash in places other than the bite site. Instances of anaphylactic allergic reactions from bedbug bites are rare. A normal bite reaction can be treated topically with calamine lotion or hydrocortisone.
Narrow bodies and a nocturnal lifestyle allow bedbugs to hide in mattress seams, behind headboards, in floor crevises and inside light switches and electrical outlets. Getting rid of bedbugs even by extermination has proved very difficult. In apartment buildings, dorms, cruise ships and large hotels, the bugs can move easily among rooms to find accommodating quarters. The hospitality industry is especially challenged since any traveler could be smuggling in the little guests.
Keep bedbugs on the run by regularly vacuuming floors, washing sheets and clothes in very hot water, and wiping mattresses and box springs—especially creases and edges—with a soapy sponge or mild cleaning agent. Never apply or spray pesticides outside of approved usage, especially on bedding.
Because an infestation is so tough to fight, prevention is paramount. “Be cautious about secondhand mattresses or furniture,” warns Klass. “If you’ve traveled and suspect you’ve been in a place with bedbugs, don’t bring your luggage into the house—keep it in the garage until you can inspect it, clean the clothes and scrub or vacuum the luggage. You don’t want to bring bedbugs into the home.”
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November 7th, 2006, 11:57 AM
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