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Dozens Sickened Trying to Kill Bedbugs

CDC even reports one death over misguided use of pesticides

By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff

Posted Sep 23, 2011 1:06 PM CDT

(Newser) – Don’t let the bedbugs bite—but if they do, don’t panic. While the creatures themselves aren’t known to cause much more than itching, the chemicals used to get rid of them have been linked to 111 illnesses and a death between 2003 and 2010, a CDC study finds. Some 64 of the reports came from New York City, though the CDC could get data from only seven states. The numbers of cases are thankfully small, investigators found: “At this point, it's not a major public health problem.”

Many of the illnesses occurred after people made mistakes in an effort to do their own exterminating, USA Today notes. Take the disturbing case of a 65-year-old woman who washed her hair in pesticide and placed an insecticide-soaked towel on her chest. She died of respiratory failure. The upshot, experts tell the New York Times: Fear of bedbugs may be a greater threat than the bugs themselves. “People lose their minds and, yeah, they’ll do a lot of things trying to get rid of them,” says a professor.

Bedbugs are seen next to the tip of a finger.
Bedbugs are seen next to the tip of a finger.   (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 12 comments
DanPB
Sep 24, 2011 1:11 PM CDT
All you need to do is apply heat in almost any form!  Hair dryers, bedding in dryers, steamers on/around mattresses on a recurring basis to also kill the bugs eggs.  Treat at least once a month and stay out of motels and hotels.
Watching4theMODS
Sep 24, 2011 12:46 PM CDT
Just another side effect of the global economy. America is seeing and suffering a number of things usually seen in third world nations. Not good people not good.
BedBugChaser
Sep 24, 2011 9:24 AM CDT
Frank the BedBug Chaser again and I saw this in Pest Management & Green Lodging. There is now an economical way for hotels, exterminators or anyone for that matter to use clean 100% Chemical Free & Green electric heat to get rid of bedbugs http://www.mypmp.net/pest-mgmt-content/news/bedbug-chasers-announces-nationwide-rental-program-7894 or  http://www.greenlodgingnews.com/bedbug-chasers-announces-nationwide-bed-bug-heater

 
New York City • bedbugs • health study • pesticide • CDC • insecticide

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