Bed Bugs: A Public Health Issue | US EPA (2024)

FAQs

Bed Bugs: A Public Health Issue | US EPA? ›

Although bed bugs are not known to transmit disease, they are a pest of significant public health importance. Bed bugs fit into a category of blood-sucking ectoparasites (external parasites) similar to head lice (Pediculus humanus capitis).

Bed bugs are a public health pest. While bed bugs have not been shown to transmit disease, they do cause a variety of negative physical health, mental health and economic consequences.

Under the OSHA general duty standard, an employer has an obligation to provide a safe work environment free of hazards that may cause physical harm. If it is determined that there are bed bugs in your workplace, you should take immediate action to eradicate the infestation (typically by calling an exterminator).

According to the National Pest Management Association, one in five Americans has either been affected by the parasites personally or knows someone who has. In France, bedbugs have become such a menace, they're considered a national health hazard.

Nearly all the laws prevent a landlord from renting or advertising a unit with a known current infestation. Beyond disclosing the history of bed bugs and prohibiting the rental of infested properties, some local laws also require landlords to: Provide tenants with information about bed bugs.

Bed bugs are not known to spread disease. Bed bugs can be an annoyance because their presence may cause itching and loss of sleep. Sometimes the itching can lead to excessive scratching that can sometimes increase the chance of a secondary skin infection.

If You have Contacted Bed Bugs

Remove all clothing before entering the home if possible (or in the bathroom if not). Immediately place your clothing in sealed plastic bags. Get into the shower. After showering, collect your sealed items and place them in the washer with hot soapy water.

Bed bugs are carried into the workplace by employees, vendors, custodial staff, visitors, customers, clients and others. While at the work location, take these precautions: Minimize the number of items brought into and out of the workplace. Keep personal items off of the floor.

If you are in a position where you feel you have no choice but to go to work, you're going to need to commit to a reasonably rigorous preparation routine until your infestation is dealt with by an exterminator. Dry all your clothes on high heat, sealing them in a plastic container.

Employees at workstations where bed bugs have been found should be temporarily relocated pending the treatment and remediation of the effected area.

Are bed bugs still a problem in 2024? ›

Nothing gets your skin crawling and imagination rolling like the thought of some unwelcome visitors in your coziest spot. But, bed bugs are not only common and widespread, but predicted to be even more of a nuisance and concern in 2024, according to a new report.

In a nutshell, twenty three states have passed or enacted bed bug specific legislation or rule making, including Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Texas, ...

Topping the list of the worst states for bed bugs is Oklahoma. Mattress Next Day reports a whopping 4,114 searches for bed bugs per 10,000 residents. The high incidence of creepy crawlers in Oklahoma can be due to a variety of factors, with population density, hot climate, and housing conditions being likely culprits.

There is no such thing as discrimination based on bed bugs.

Panic associated with bed bugs include throwing away all furniture, spraying general pesticides in the bedroom and/or refusing to travel to any place, by any means, at any time. Please do not panic! Panic can make the situation worse.

Hence, employers may want to offer to pay for an extermination if a worker with an infested home steps forward. An employer might also consider requiring the employee to stay home until an exterminator confirms the bedbugs are gone, said Andria Ryan, an attorney with Fisher & Phillips in Atlanta.

Who is at risk? Any home is at risk of a bed bug infestation. Bed bugs are not a sign of a dirty home or poor personal hygiene. Bed bugs are hitchhikers - they travel to new places by hiding in furniture, suitcases, or other objects that get moved around.

According to California Civil Code 1954.603, landlords must inform tenants of the procedure to report a bed bug infestation. According to another civil code, California Civil Code §1942.5, landlords may not seek unlawful retaliation, such as an eviction, against a tenant who has raised concerns about bed bugs.

Bed bugs are a global problem, yet we still know so little about how they spread.