Diseases and infestations that were thought to have been eradicated from developed countries have, in recent years, come back to their old haunts. A variety of viruses and insects have become resistant to the chemicals that are meant to eliminate them. Poverty is no longer the necessary companion for these problems, even in a city where 18.2% of the families live below the poverty line, such as Dayton. Pest control services are needed regardless of annual income. Bed bugs do not discriminate.

Bed bugs, specially, have become a hot topic; so much so that The Journal of the American Medical Association published a clinical review titled, “Bed Bugs and Clinical Consequences of Their Bites,” by Jerome Goddard, a medical entomologist at Mississippi State University, and Dr. Richard de Shazo, an allergist at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. The authors mention different cities all over the world where reported infestations have risen exponentially in the beginning of the 21st Century. Fortunately, they conclude that there is not much in the way of evidence to associate bed bugs with the transmission of human diseases.

These unwanted little critters can be found in mattresses, in upholstered furniture, in the backs of headboards or joints of wooden bed frames. They feed on human blood during the night. Most people do not react to their bite and often confuse it with one of a mosquito. Although, there is a small group that is highly sensitive and can have a more intense reaction that goes from intense itching to a life-threatening allergy.

Prevention is the best course of action with bed bugs, since there is no effective repellent against them. Here is some advice to keep in mind:

– Do not pick up discarded mattresses, sofas, cushioned chairs and other objects where they can be found.

– Do not wear second-hand clothing without putting them in a plastic bag and either washing them as soon as possible in very hot water, placing them in a hot dryer or having them dry-cleaned.

– Do not purchase mattresses, sofas, cushioned chairs, or other objects where they can be found in garage sales and resale shops without carefully inspecting them first.

– Do not get into a hotel bed without checking it for infestation.

– Do not leave a hotel without checking your luggage for signs of the insects.

A do-it-yourself strategy is not recommended when trying to eliminate the infestation. Other than purchasing a mattress and box spring cover similar to those used for dust allergies, other remedies involve professionals: high-suction vacuuming, heat treatments, steam treatments. You can try leaving the furniture out in the extreme cold or extreme heat where the insect will die after a couple of weeks, but your best bet for quick and sustained effectiveness, is to call an exterminator. The initial extermination campaign, along with maintenance visits, and you and your family’s prevention tactics, should keep you clear of bed bugs. Be on the lookout for them because they are no longer a problem of the past; they are very much in our present.

Author Bio: Stewart Wrighter has often called on the expertise of a Dayton Pest Control company to treat his large office facility. He scheduled to have a Dayton Bed Bugs exterminating company to eliminate bugs in his home.

Category: Home Management
Keywords: Dayton pest control,Dayton bed bugs