Can Bed Bugs be Prevented?

This article is written by  Stephen L. Doggett, Director, Department of Medical Entomology, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia

The global resurgence in bed bugs was as unexpected as it was dramatic and there are few signs that infestations across the world are on the decline. It is not so much a question of if your facility may become infested with bed bugs, but more of a case when.

Bed bugs are bloodsucking insects that can inflict a very nasty and irritating bite. The big problem is the associated financial costs. Bed bug eradication is expensive (even into the thousands) and if done poorly by the unskilled can result in the spreading of an infestation. This can substantially escalate control costs, even a hundred fold as has happened in with at least one facility in the past. Guests bitten are unlikely to return and the negative publicity generated can severely affect a hotel’s reputation. In one case, eight figure litigation (yes $20million!) was initiated as a result of a guest being attacked in an upper end hotel.

So what can you do to prevent bed bugs? The simple answer is very little. However, a great deal can be done to reduce the risk of bed bugs becoming established and developing into a major fiscal burden for your organisation.

Broadly speaking there are four phases of a bed bug infestation; the Introduction of the insect, the Establishment of the pest, the Growth of the infestation, and finally the Spread of the insect. Strategies can be implemented that can combat bed bugs for each of the four phases and these will be discussed below.

Most importantly however, an organisation should have as part of their risk management process, a Bed Bug Management policy. The policy should cover aspects such as training, documentation of bed bug activity, work health and safety, the eradication processes, and those aspects dealing with the reduction of bed bug risks. To assist the hospitality industries and those that provide beds for others, a generic policy has been developed by the author of this article. ‘A Bed Bug Management Policy & Procedural Guide for Accommodation Providers’ is available as a free download from: http://medent.usyd.edu.au/bedbug/man_policy.htm You are welcome to use this policy and to adapt it for your specific circumstances. A bed bug management policy that is adopted and adhered too may also reduce the potential for litigation.

So what are the various strategies that can be implemented with the four phases of a bed bug infestation?

Introduction. Educating travellers and tenants on how to avoid bed bugs in the first place will help to reduce the spread of the insects in the long term to all affected stakeholders. People need to be able to recognise the signs of the insect (live bed bugs and their spotting) as well as to know where the bed bugs are most likely to hide. A quick search of the mattress, particularly along the beading nearby to the wall, will usually result in the discovery of an infestation if present.

Establishment. To reduce the risk of a bed bug infestation establishing if introduced, it is necessary to make the environment less suitable. Bed bugs behaviour means that they prefer to live in hidden areas, notably cracks and crevices. Certain types of beds such as ensemble bases tend to be more bed bug friendly by providing numerous places where the insect can hide, although this can be obviated by the installation of mattresses encasements. Bed heads and certain type of furnishings should be avoided, notably wicker cane. All cracks and crevices in the room should be filled with caulking.

Growth. Preventing the growth of a bed bug infestation revolves around early detection. Early detection means that control is more likely to be successful and minimises the risk of the infestation spreading; ultimately this is about saving you money. As housekeepers are at the coal face where bed bugs are mostly likely to be found, namely the bed, training such staff in bed bug recognition can be of huge benefit. Otherwise, proactive pest inspections can be undertaken, either by experienced staff in-house or by professional pest managers. The frequency of such inspections would be dictated by the history of bed bug activity. Bed bug detection dogs are widely utilised in the US and are very sensitive at even detecting small bed bug numbers. Sadly very few bed bug dogs are in Australia as some hotels are concerned about image problems in case guests think that the dogs are present for bomb or drug detection. It is however possible to introduce dogs via covered carts so that guests are unaware of the animals. For those that provide accommodation for others, tenants should be encouraged to report on the suspicion of bed bug activity in a timely manner.

Spread. If an infestation is discovered, then prompt action is required and a professional pest manager with experience in bed bug control should be contacted immediately. ‘Detect early and act quickly’ should be the mantra recited when it comes to bed bug infestations. The infested room should be quarantined, and any infested material needs to be treated or bagged before removal. Items removed should be rendered unusable. Guests’ belongings should be treated for bed bugs if they are exposed to an infestation.

Ultimately, no one strategy should be relied upon as bed bug risk reduction involves a multi-disciplinary approach. Very importantly, all bed bug management should be in accordance with the industry standard, ‘A Code of Practice for the Control of Bed Bug Infestations in Australia’. Currently the Code is up to the fourth edition and is also available for free from http://medent.usyd.edu.au/bedbug/

Finally, beware of companies touting miracle bed bug cures; there is no such thing, and the market is flooded with ineffectual products. The Working Party behind the Code of Practice reviews all technology and only includes those where there is evidence of efficacy. The use of any management device not specifically supported within the Code is best avoided.

This article is written by  Stephen L. Doggett, Director, Department of Medical Entomology, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW, 2145, Australia.  Stephen Doggett is a world authority on bed bugs and their control, and is the Director of Medical Entomology at Westmead Hospital. He is the principal author of ‘A Code of Practice for the Control of Bed Bug Infestations in Australia’ and author of ‘A Bed Bug Management Policy & Procedure Guide’. For consultancy on bed bugs, please contact Stephen; Stephen.Doggett@swahs.health.nsw.gov.au