Bed Bugs & Society – part 3 of 3

Bed Bug adult on bedding-H
[EDITOR’S NOTE: Our December issue has a special section devoted to bed bugs. Drs. Timothy Gibb, Ameya Gondhalekar and Tyler Gibb were kind enough to make a special contribution to our blog as a tie-in with that issue. Below find part three of their three part post titled ‘Bed Bugs & Society.’ PMP would like thank the authors for their expert analysis.]

The public health side
We do know that bed bugs are parasites that feed on blood. Bed bugs must bite and pierce the skin to draw blood. Skin reactions to bed bug bites vary wildly from person to person, but often present as red welts that may itch for several days. Scratching further irritates the itching sensation, and may eventually result in secondary infections.

Bed bugs are not known to “transmit” disease-causing pathogens through their own feeding, but it has been documented that they may harbor many harmful pathogens on or in their bodies. It seems probable that heavy infestations of bed bugs (and their associated fecal matter) might transfer pathogens via open sores, which may lead to further health problems.

What is known is that the immediate health effects of bed bug bites vary widely, depending upon a patient’s individual immunological response. Prolonged exposure to bed bug infestations results in increased sensitivity by the individual. Severe discomfort and itching may occur. Repeated bug bites over a period of several weeks may cause some people to become sensitized to bed bug bites — resulting in ever-intensive allergic responses. Anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction, can sometimes follow.

Diminished physical health is not the only potential harm caused by bed bug infestations, however. Sociologists have described some of the mental and emotional costs. For many people, the prospect of being attacked by bloodthirsty parasites, especially during such a vulnerable time (asleep in bed) may evoke a terror slightly short of death itself. Mental anguish is often cited as a common experience in cases of bed bug infestations. If friends, family members, or co-workers learn of an infestation, the negative social stigma and repercussions of being identified as a “bed bug carrier” can lead to many bizarre and self-destructive behaviors.

For some, the fear spreading a disease or a parasite such as bed bugs may elicit very destructive social distancing or isolating behaviors as a way of limiting the risk of infecting others. Individuals may decide not to attend social events, where contact with others is likely. They may ban themselves from interacting with others to the point that they imprison themselves in their own homes.

In even more extreme situations, they may completely quarantine themselves. Believing that their “loss of society” will help curb the spread of bed bugs, they will not only shut themselves in, but they shut others out as well. Such self-imposed quarantines can be highly detrimental to a person’s sense of well-being, and mental health and can actually exacerbate feelings of abandonment and depression.

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About the Authors

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Dr. Gibb is an entomologist with Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind. Contact him at gibbs@purdue.edu.

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Dr. Ameya Gondhalekar is an entomologist at Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind.

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Dr. Tyler Gibb teaches medical ethics, humanities and law at the Western Michigan School of Medicine, Kalamazoo, Mich.

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