Bed Bugs: Beware Of Insecticides!

Bed bugs: beware of insecticides!
According to an analysis conducted by poison control centers, reported by the Prescrire journal, the products used to combat bed bugs are sometimes the cause of poisonings, sometimes very serious. Twelve people were seriously poisoned, a child died.

The Prescrire journal warns of the dangers associated with the use of insecticides against bed bugs. The medical journal reports a study by poison control centers: they analyzed the calls received between 2007 and 2021 following exposure to one of the products used against insects.

Of the 1,056 cases that required a call to a poison control center, 797 had at least one symptom. "These were mainly ENT or respiratory disorders (respiratory discomfort, cough, throat pain and irritation), skin disorders (itching, skin irritation), headaches, dizziness and abdominal pain," Prescrire specifies.

Among these people, 12 were seriously poisoned including 4 with substances that are nevertheless banned in France and represent 4.2% of cases. Five of them were children. One of them died after inhaling a product released by aluminum phosphide, banned in France. "This illegally imported product had been sprinkled in the room occupied by two children and a young woman. The three people presented digestive symptomatology complicated by myocardial waiting for the two children, resulting in the death of one of them," notes the poison control center report.

51% of cases occurred during the application of the product, 39% when people returned to the treated premises. Yet, nearly half of these latter cases claimed to have respected the re-entry delay prescribed by the product manufacturer.

Knowing how to spot them
Bed bugs are visible to the naked eye. "They do not jump or fly. Bed bugs feed on blood and can survive several months without feeding. They can bite up to 90 times in a single night, causing sometimes unbearable itching," notes the Ministry of Ecological Transition. The bites, often at night when the bugs are active, resemble mosquito bites and are located on the visible parts of the body.

Hidden in mattresses, box springs, in the cracks and crevices of parquet floors, under carpets or in baseboards, bed bugs do not transmit disease but are the cause of significant itching and even allergic reactions.

To get rid of them without taking risks, it is recommended:

to first resort to non-chemical means (vacuuming of eggs, washing laundry at 60°C...);
to limit self-application;
to strictly adhere to the conditions of use in case of self-application;
to never use products banned in France and to source from conventional channels;
to respect the re-entry delay into the housing after product application.
As the holiday departure approaches, be vigilant. Thus, inspect the premises when you arrive in a dwelling and do not hesitate to equip your suitcase with a bed bug repellent plaque.