The Last Place You’d Expect to Find Bed Bugs
The hospital is probably the last place you’d expect to find bed bugs. They’re known for being clean and sterile. However, bed bugs are sneaky pests and can easily find their way into any space, even the most sterile ones. Bed bugs are the last thing you want to think about when you’re sick since it becomes necessary to go to the hospital, but it’s worth thinking about.
Stowaways
You’re probably wondering; how do bed bugs get into a hospital in the first place? First off, ambulances are great transportation for bed bugs. If they pick a patient up from a home infested with bed bugs the bed bugs can stow away in the patient’s clothes or belongings. The patient is then transported to an emergency room, where they are likely put into a bed. The bed bugs, wanting to explore then crawl from the patient’s clothes onto the bed. Then, they can get into the folds of pillows and sheets and hide away, or choose to go explore other parts of the hospital.
Visitors
Even if the patient didn’t bring the bed bugs in themselves, there’s still a risk of infestation. If a family member or friend has a bed bug problem and visits their loved one in the hospital, the bed bugs can hitch a ride on their clothing or personal belongings. This can cause the bed bugs to travel onto the bed or the patient’s hospital gown. Also, it is possible for the bed bugs to stow away in a nurse’s uniform. This can result in the nurse transporting them over to another patient’s room as well.
Overnight Stays
If the patient has a condition that needs to be watched overnight, the nurses will have to wheel them up to the observation unit. This gives the bed bugs an opportunity to hide in the folds of the patient’s hospital gown, which can result in them scurrying out onto the bed in the observation unit. What’s worse is if the patient has a roommate, the bugs could go under the curtain between the two patients and get into the roommate’s bed as well.
What Are the Risks?
The good news is, there aren’t many health risks involved with a bed bug infestation, even in the hospital. The worst that could happen is a case of anemia, and there have been very few reports of this happening due to bed bugs. Other than that, patients can expect to find some itchy welts from the bites and possibly some swelling and irritation. The good news is, if it happens in a hospital, it can be treated very easily. The patient is in the right place.
Will It Lead To A Real Infestation?
There’s more good news: bed bugs won’t last long in a hospital. Hospitals, especially emergency rooms, are notoriously clean for a reason. Bedding, gowns, and every imaginable surface are cleaned after a patient leaves the room to be discharged or to go to another unit. According to the National Institute of Health, it can actually take less than a day to get rid of a bed bug problem in the hospital because everything is cleaned so frequently and so carefully.
Unfortunately, houses and apartments aren’t cleaned as frequently or carefully, so there’s a better chance of an infestation happening. If you do have bed bugs, contact Bed Bug Barbeque and let us help. Our bed bug heat treatments contain NO pesticides or chemicals. However, unlike most other natural bed bug control alternatives, our heat treatment is proven to be effective in killing bed bugs. You can call us at (216) 450- 6643 or contact us through our website for a FREE inspection today.
