Bed bugs USA. New research out of the United States suggests less than half of bed bug infestations are completely eliminated effectively.

A new study reported that less than half of bed bug treatment methods used by US residents eliminated bed bugs.

Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine conducted a door-to-door survey of 596 residents across residential row homes in Philadelphia. They reported that the rate of recent bed bug infestation was 11.1%. Of these infested households, only 48.1% reported that bed bug treatments were successful in removing bed bugs completely.

“The high reported rate of recent infestations and the low perceived success of treatment methods emphasise the difficulty of managing bed bugs in urban and other complex environments,” the researchers wrote in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. “In low-income communities especially, the cost of bed bug treatment can be an important barrier to control.”

The researchers argued that the bed bug epidemic was difficult to curtail and even more difficult to eliminate, even from small geographical areas.

A costly epidemic

Households that only hired professional exterminators reported spending on average US$611.10 (range US$100-$1,200), and households that self-treated as well as hiring professionals reported spending on average US$550 (range US$100–$1,000).

A variety of treatments and results

The residents reported using a wide variety of professional and self-treatment services, including over-the-counter insecticides, household cleaning products, and mattress protectors. While the researchers were unable to report on the efficacy of an individual treatment, they were able to ascertain that of the 36 residents who only attempted treatment on their own, 16 (44.4%) reported being successful, and 9 (56.3%) of the 16 who paid for extermination services reported success in their treatment.

What this means for Australians

Worldwide, bed bugs are now an urban pest problem affecting a wide range of communities, according to the study authors, who have deemed them a “significant public health problem”.

A key reason for this is due to the fact that bed bugs are becoming resistant to many popular treatments and household chemicals designed to eradicate them.

Bed Bug Killer – a low cost and effective solution

Bed Bug Killer is the only registered product in Australia that kills bed bugs without resistance – at a fraction of the cost of a professional exterminator and without the dangerous chemical usage.

Because it lasts for years, Bed Bug Killer powder will kill bed bugs long-term, with an east to use solution against future infestations. Bed Bug Barriers can be used to create instant protection from bed bugs in the room.

It’s also completely natural, easy to apply, odourless, has zero room downtime and is scientifically tested and APMVA registered. So don’t fall victim to the epidemic: fight the bed bug battle at home with Bed Bug Killer powder.