Bedbug infestations on the rise

Cities in at least five states have had to call on the Department of Defense for funding to help with extermination of bed bugs in recent weeks as the increase of infestations has spread from the Northeast across the country. Frequent travelers unknowingly carry the bugs in clothing or luggage. Cincinnati, Ohio; Lexington, Ky.; Fort Worth, Texas; Seattle, Wash.; and New York are among the destinations that have experienced outbreaks. The Environmental Protection Agency rejected the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s plea to allow the banned pesticide propoxur to eradicate the insects but met with state and municipal leaders on Aug. 18 in Ohio to try to find a compromise. Representatives from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Defense were also present. Four Ohio cities rank in the top 15 most-infested U.S. cities; New York and Philadelphia top the list, which was released by the extermination company Terminix.

Officials recommend checking hotel mattresses and headboards for flat, oval bugs and streaked droppings. Bedbugs can range in color from brown to purple to red. They hide in cracks and crevices, so check all clothing and luggage for adults and larvae. Any items suspected of carrying the insects should be placed in plastic bags until they can be laundered. Visit bedbugregistry.com, which has 20,000 reports as of this summer, to see if a hotel has reported a recent outbreak.