Comments on: Halifax tenants dealing with with bed bugs and unsympathetic health department http://bedbugger.com/2008/11/10/halifax-tenants-dealing-with-with-bed-bugs-and-unsympathetic-health-department/ bed bug news, information, activism, and support Sat, 21 Nov 2009 07:14:38 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: PS16 in Staten Island has bed bugs : Got bed bugs? Bedbugger.com http://bedbugger.com/2008/11/10/halifax-tenants-dealing-with-with-bed-bugs-and-unsympathetic-health-department/comment-page-1/#comment-13443 PS16 in Staten Island has bed bugs : Got bed bugs? Bedbugger.com Fri, 14 Nov 2008 04:07:37 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/?p=1221#comment-13443 [...] Though not yet known to spread infectious disease, bed bugs are nevertheless a health concern. The World Health Organization sure thinks so. [...] [...] Though not yet known to spread infectious disease, bed bugs are nevertheless a health concern. The World Health Organization sure thinks so. [...]

]]> By: nobugsonme http://bedbugger.com/2008/11/10/halifax-tenants-dealing-with-with-bed-bugs-and-unsympathetic-health-department/comment-page-1/#comment-13369 nobugsonme Mon, 10 Nov 2008 18:16:09 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/?p=1221#comment-13369 Thanks, Doug, for fleshing out the specifics of the WHO document, and for your report of the NPMA discussion, and the MRSA story. You're right that mental health effects can be significant too. Thanks, Doug, for fleshing out the specifics of the WHO document, and for your report of the NPMA discussion, and the MRSA story.

You’re right that mental health effects can be significant too.

]]> By: Doug Summers MS http://bedbugger.com/2008/11/10/halifax-tenants-dealing-with-with-bed-bugs-and-unsympathetic-health-department/comment-page-1/#comment-13365 Doug Summers MS Mon, 10 Nov 2008 16:34:00 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/?p=1221#comment-13365 There are several interesting quotes contained in the WHO report that could be used to make the case that bed bugs are a serious public health issue. For example: " <blockquote>Medical clinicians, however, have reported the following significant symptoms as due to common bedbug bites: •serious local redness and intense itching, both immediately and after several days delay (Sansom, Reynolds & Peachey, 1992); •disseminated bullous eruption with systemic reaction (Liebold, Schliemann-Willers & Wollina, 2003); •true anaphylaxis, which has been misinterpreted as coronary occlusion (Parsons, 1955). Besides the effects of direct bites, airborne common bedbug allergens that are always released during infestations may produce bronchial asthma. Nevertheless, shedding of viral DNA fragments in faecal matter and transstadial (across life stage) transmission of hepatitis B virus seem to support the possibility of mechanical transmission by contaminated faeces, or when bugs are crushed during feeding onto abraded skin by a susceptible person (Jupp et al., 1991; Blow et al., 2001). Some people can develop a general malaise from numerous bedbug bites; that, along with the loss of sleep and extreme itching of bug bites, can lower a person’s vitality and make individuals listless and almost constantly uncomfortable. Numerous routine bedbug bites can contribute to anaemia and may even make a person more susceptible to common diseases (Usinger, 1966; Snetsinger, 1997)" </blockquote> Although, the book was just recently published, the most recent citations appear to be from 2005. Unfortunately, the mental health impacts that are listed in the chapter are rather understated. At the NPMA conference last month, a state public health regulator stated that some health departments have ruled the bed bugs are a public health threat due to the possibilty that bite wounds can become infected which may cause severe harm to fragile populations like diabetics and others with chronic health issues. A PCO related a story about a patient that developed a MRSA infection at the site of bed bug bite wounds. There are several interesting quotes contained in the WHO report that could be used to make the case that bed bugs are a serious public health issue.

For example:
”

Medical clinicians, however, have reported the following significant symptoms as due to common bedbug bites:
•serious local redness and intense itching, both immediately and after several days delay
(Sansom, Reynolds & Peachey, 1992);
•disseminated bullous eruption with systemic reaction (Liebold, Schliemann-Willers &
Wollina, 2003);
•true anaphylaxis, which has been misinterpreted as coronary occlusion (Parsons, 1955).

Besides the effects of direct bites, airborne common bedbug allergens that are always released during infestations may produce bronchial asthma.

Nevertheless, shedding of viral DNA fragments in faecal matter
and transstadial (across life stage) transmission of hepatitis B virus seem to support the possibility of mechanical transmission by contaminated faeces, or when bugs are crushed during feeding onto abraded skin by a susceptible person (Jupp et al., 1991; Blow et al., 2001).

Some people can develop a general malaise from numerous bedbug bites; that, along with the loss of sleep and extreme itching of bug bites, can lower a person’s vitality and make individuals listless and almost constantly uncomfortable.

Numerous routine bedbug bites can contribute to anaemia and may even make a person more susceptible to common diseases (Usinger, 1966; Snetsinger, 1997)”

Although, the book was just recently published, the most recent citations appear to be from 2005.

Unfortunately, the mental health impacts that are listed in the chapter are rather understated.

At the NPMA conference last month, a state public health regulator stated that some health departments have ruled the bed bugs are a public health threat due to the possibilty that bite wounds can become infected which may cause severe harm to fragile populations like diabetics and others with chronic health issues.

A PCO related a story about a patient that developed a MRSA infection at the site of bed bug bite wounds.

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