Keith Nockels, Library and Learning Services, University of Leicester
Bedbugs (Cimex lectularius)
Bedbugs are in the UK news, having first made an appearance in Paris. They might be less topical by the time you read this, so I thought about broadening the column out to health impacts of insects more generally. But then I thought that would make the topic too big.
So, after a few sites about insects in general, here are some specifically about bedbugs. Some sites are more detailed than others. Some have detail or advice that is specific to a particular country (for example, how to inform the local authorities, or how to arrange for pest control).
A few sites about insects in general
Some reference sources:
BugLife
https://www.buglife.org.uk/bugs/
UK focused, includes a bug directory and an Identify a bug section.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Laboratory Identification of Parasites of Public Health Concern (DPDx)
https://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/index.html
University of Kentucky, Entomology, Insect and Pest Info
https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/entfacts
Detailed but Kentucky focused.
And two rather more narrative sources:
Gresham College online lecture on insect-borne vector diseases
https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/insect-diseases
From October 2021, by Chris Whitty.
UK Parliament POSTNote on climate change and vector borne diseases in the UK
https://post.parliament.uk/research-briefings/post-pn-0597/
From 2019.
Bedbugs
I did find several news alerts or alerts from local government that were quite old, so search with care!
NHS
NHS Health A-Z
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/bedbugs/
Includes information on identification, eradication, and treatment of bites.
NHS 111 Wales
https://111.wales.nhs.uk/bedbugs/
Although I now know that pycsennau is Welsh for bedbugs, there is information only in English.
NHS Inform Scotland
https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/injuries/skin-injuries/insect-bites-and-stings/
There is mention of bedbugs in this wider resource about insect bites and stings.
Dermatology sites
American Academy of Dermatology
https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/a-z/bed-bugs-treatment
Quite detailed information on how to check for bedbugs, including a video. One image of bites.
British Association of Dermatologists
https://www.skinhealthinfo.org.uk/condition/bedbugs-and-managing-bedbug-infestations/
Detailed information including “self care” (that is, what to do if you have them, or how to avoid them on holiday). No images.
DermNetNZ
https://dermnetnz.org/topics/bed-bugs
Includes images, and information about marks on darker skin.
Other sites
Better Health Victoria https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/bedbugs
British Pest Control Association
https://bpca.org.uk/a-z-of-pest-advice/bed-bugs-control-how-to-get-rid-of-bed-bugs-bpca-a-z-of-pests/189186
Detailed information about the bedbug, and information on dealing with infestations.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/bedbugs/index.html
Part of the parasites section of the CDC website. Information about the biology of bedbugs, links to some (quite old) publications, and a little bit of information for health professionals.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Laboratory identification of parasites of public health concern (DPDx)
https://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/bedbugs/index.html
Information on their biology, some images (of bedbugs not their bites).
Environmental Protection Agency (USA)
https://www.epa.gov/bedbugs
Information about bedbugs, prevention of infestations and how to get rid of infestations, and information on “bed bug myths”.
Health Protection Surveillance Agency (Ireland)
https://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/other/bedbugs/
FAQs.
Mayo Clinic
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bedbugs/symptoms-causes/syc-20370001
Not very detailed. One image of bites.
National Pest Management Association (USA)
https://www.pestworld.org/pest-guide/bed-bugs/bed-bugs/
Detailed information on identifying bedbugs, and bedbugs and travel.
Patient.info
https://patient.info/skin-conditions/bedbugs-leaflet
WebMD
https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/bedbugs-infestation
Detailed information about bed bugs and infestations, and one image of bites.
Some UK local authorities have up to date information (and since I first started looking for sites, more have added information). At the time I submitted this column, there seemed to be nothing on the UK government gov.uk site specifically about bedbugs.
Finding research
As well as Cimex lectularius, this finds Cimex hemipterus, the “tropical bedbug”. The strategy includes the French name and the synonym cimicosis (thanks to Wikipedia for that), and the word crimicosis. PubMed wondered if I meant crimicosis, which only finds one thing, but about bedbugs!
I hope that was useful and did not make you itch. Suggestions for future columns very welcome.
Keith Nockels
Library and Learning Services, University of Leicester Email: khn5@le.ac.uk
HLG Newsletter Autumn/Winter 2023
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