Bed Bugs

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Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Medical Editor: William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

• What are bed bugs? What do bed bugs look like?
• Where are bed bugs found?
• What about bed bugs in hotels?
• How are bed bugs spread?
• What are the symptoms of bed bug bites?
• How are bed bug bites treated?
• How do I detect a bed bug infestation in my home?
• How do I get rid of bed bugs in the home?
• How can I prevent bed bug bites?
• Patient Discussions: Bed Bugs - Initial Symptoms

Featured patient discussions on bed bugs "I was in a hotel this past weekend. During the night, I felt something crawling on me, so I swatted it. That happened a few more times, but I didn't think too much about it. The next morning, there were spots of blood all over my side of the bed and my pillow. Then I saw some bugs on the bed. My husband swatted one with a belt and it exploded into a blood spot. Then I noticed a whole bunch of bugs on the ceiling. My symptoms didn't start until the following morning. I noticed raised red bumps all over my left breast, left arm and some on my back, my right arm and my right thigh. They started itching intensely and progressively seem to get worse. I looked up bed bugs, and there's no doubt that's what happened to me. I reported the bugs to the hotel management. They comped our room for the first night, and moved us to another room. My symptoms didn't really start until we had left the hotel. I am writing them a letter." Read all bed bugs comments » Top Searched Bed Bugs Terms: pictures, getting rid of bed bugs, bite symptoms, how do they spread, how do I detect bed bugs, what do bed bugs look like, rashes, infestation, lice, hotels, prevention Patient Discussions are not a substitute for professional medical advice, or treatment. See the disclaimer at the bottom of the comments page.

What are bed bugs? What do bed bugs look like?

Bed bugs are small, oval, nonflying insects that belong to the insect family Cimicidae, which includes three species that bite people. Adult bed bugs reach 5-7 mm in length, while nymphs (juveniles) are as small as 1.5 mm. Bed bugs have flat bodies and may sometimes be mistaken for ticks or small cockroaches. Bed bugs feed by sucking blood from humans or animals. Adult bed bugs are reddish brown in color, appearing more reddish after feeding on a blood meal. Nymphs are clear in color and appear bright red after feeding. The wings of bed bugs are vestigial, so they cannot fly.

Where are bed bugs found?

Bed bugs were common in the U.S. before World War II and became rare after widespread use of the pesticide DDT began in the 1940s and 1950s. They remained prevalent in other areas of the world and, in recent years, have been increasingly observed again in the U.S. Increases in immigration and travel from the developing world as well as restrictions on the use of stronger pesticides may be factors that have led to the relatively recent increase in bed bug infestations. While bed bugs are often reported to be found when sanitation conditions are poor or when birds or mammals (particularly bats) are nesting on or near a home, bed bugs can also live and thrive in clean environments. Crowded living quarters also facilitate the spread of bed bugs.

Bed bugs can live in any area of the home and can reside in tiny cracks in furniture as well as on textiles and upholstered furniture. They tend to be most common in areas where people sleep and generally concentrate in beds, including mattresses, box springs, and bed frames. Other sites where bed bugs often reside include curtains, the corners inside dressers and other furniture, cracks in wallpaper (particularly near the bed), and inside the spaces of wicker furniture.

Since bed bugs can live for months without feeding, they can also be found in vacant homes.

What does a bed bug look like?

Picture of an adult bed bug

Bed Bugs - Initial Symptoms

The MedicineNet physician editors ask:

What were your initial symptoms for bed bugs?

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