When your lights go off and you close your eyes for a well-deserved rest, that’s when bed bugs come out to feast. All they need to thrive is a warm, dark place to hide and a host body to feed off. Unfortunately, they are more than just a nuisance pest that bites you and makes you itch, bed bug bites can lead to numerous health problems. Bed bug control experts in Niagara want to keep that from happening.

Common Health Problems associated with Bed Bug Bites

Over 45 potential human disease agents can be found in bed bugs, including bacteria, viruses, worms, and protozoans. But this is no reason to panic because, so far, none of them have actually been proven to be transmitted from the bed bugs to humans.

There are, however, some common health problems caused by bed bug bites and these include:

Secondary Infections: Bed bug bites are known to lead to severe itching which results in open wounds. If not treated properly, the wounds can become infected. Some possible secondary complications like ecthyma, lymphangitis, and impetigo can result from bed bug bites.

Insomnia: A very real issue for many people is the fear of bed bug bites. You could get anxious knowing that bed bugs are present in your home and this may increase stress levels, panic and even lead to prolonged sleep deprivation.

Itching: This is the most frequent problem related to bed bug bites. Their bites are usually in clusters which can bring about severe itching. Bed bugs inject an anticoagulant into their host to facilitate the flow of blood when feeding and this causes the red bumps that appear all over your body.

Anaphylactic Shock: People with pre-existing conditions such as asthma, allergies, and low immunity are at greater risk of health complications. Bed bug bites can cause anaphylactic shock in these people.

Bed bugs and Chagas Disease

Research published in 2014 in The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene raised some concerns that bed bugs could host and potentially transmit Chagas Disease, a chronic heart disease caused by the blood parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. This concern has arisen partly because bed bugs and their bigger cousin, the kissing bug (Triatoma sanguisuga), feed in the same way. They both stick their straw-like beaks into your skin to suck your blood. A kissing bug infected with the Chagas virus is known to be able to transmit Chagas Disease to people by first biting them and then defecating in the wound. In laboratory conditions, the Chagas parasite will live in a wide variety of insects, including bed bugs, but unless an infected bug also poops out the parasite into an open wound, the transmission of the disease from a bed bug to a person is unlikely.

Why You Should Contact Pest Control Services to deal with bed bugs

Bed bug control in your Niagara home is complicated because they do not confine themselves to your bed. Bed bugs can live in any dark corner, headboard, nightstand, dresser, carpets, cracks and crevices in your bedroom or any other part of your home. To eliminate a bed bug infestation, you need to find all their hiding places and exterminate the entire population, or they will be back. Fortunately killing all the bugs and eggs, is a simple procedure for a pest control company that knows how to do it and has the correct products and equipment.

If you hire a professional pest control company, like Truly Nolen, at the first sign of bed bug trouble in your Niagara home, we will deal with the entire bed bug infestation and you will be able to sleep peacefully once again.