Of the listed oddest locations where bed bugs were found, a shower head is what surprised me.

Now I think the reason the Australians are ahead is Stephen Doggett himself. This was the purpose of the 2004 article:

This article provides documented evidence for the recent rise in bed bug numbers and attempts, for the first time anywhere in the world, to examine how they may have been introduced.

And this is how he and his colleagues did it. I’ll quote in full to make my point:

Evidence was sought to substantiate the anecdotal reports of the increase in bed bug infestations. The number of specimens submitted to the pathology service of the Department of Medical Entomology was tallied over time and information on when each was submitted, along with the species identity, was recorded. Three large local pest control firms were contacted and information on the number of bed bug treatments and the type of premises treated was requested. Health workers across the country were also contacted regarding the apparent increase. To determine how the bed bugs may have been introduced, a list of the interceptions by the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) was requested from the Pest and Disease Information Database (PDID), Market Access and Biosecurity, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and the AQIS Incidents database, covering the period 1 January 1986 to 31 January 2004. This also provided a time line of the interceptions, which could contribute evidence for the alleged upward trend in bed bug infestations.

Nothing remotely approaching this has been attempted here.

Reading the preface to the second edition of the CoP and remembering David’s noting of the economic impact stats, and noticing also the new section on infestations in the socially disadvantaged, it’s overwhelmingly clear how far behind we are in the U.S.

Finally, you have to admire the candor and the practicality. No politicizing here, no ranting about grandstanding entos or hysterical sufferers.