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Friday 18 August 2017

Bed bugs

I'm traveling soon. During my last trip to Italy, I came back with very itchy bumps which I was told could be due to bed bugs. What can I do to avoid getting bed bugs again?


Bed bugs is on the rise. More and more local and international travelers came back with bed bugs. Bed bugs usually gives rise to itchy red bumps on exposed part of the body. They do not transmit serious illness but can be a great nuisance.

Why is bed bugs on the rise? 

The biggest reason is probably because more and more people are traveling. These bugs are often found in hotels, hostels, apartments. They can hide in small crevices of luggage from one place to another. As they are small, they can conveniently hide on clothing, furniture and even on your pets. A lot of pesticides for example DDT has been banned for environmental issue. And the natural predators of bed bugs such as cockroaches are being hunted down. Other predators of bed bugs include spiders and ants.

How do I know it is bed bugs and not something else?

If there are new itchy bumps on the exposed part of the body, especially when you have slept on a used bed the night before, then most likely you are getting bed bugs.

You might want to look at the seams of the mattresses for blood stains, rusty spots of bed bug excrement, egg shells, or you might even find a bug or two, which is usually visible with naked eyes as they are about 5mm in size. Bed bugs give a musty odor. Do not forget to check the phone directories, carpets and your luggage too.

How to reduce the risk of bed bugs when travelling?
  • Avoid sleeping on used bed, especially if it has a musty odor
  • Keep the luggage zipped up even within hotel room
  • Store the luggage high
  • Store the luggage in the bathroom if possible (it is not easy for bed bugs to climb up the slippery porcelain)
  • Wash all your clothes upon getting home, even if you have not worn some of them
Click here for a slideshow on bed bugs.


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