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Bedbug infestation rate alarming

Ohio declared bedbug capital of the U.S. by national media.

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By Patrick Doran  and Hannah Poturalski, Staff Writers Updated 1:36 AM Wednesday, August 25, 2010

An alarming number of homes in the region and country have been invaded by bedbugs, according to health officials in Butler, Warren and Montgomery counties.

“I think we found the new cockroach,” said Mark Case, director of environmental health in Montgomery County. “They are going to be here awhile until we learn how to control them.”

Ohio was declared the bedbug capital of the U.S. in recent reports by Time magazine and CBS’ “Early Show.” And according to a study released Tuesday, Aug. 24, Cincinnati, Dayton and Columbus ranked highly among the 15 U.S. cities with the worst bedbug problem.

And while bedbug infestations in Hamilton and Middletown aren’t as widespread as their neighbors, the problem is no less serious, officials say.

Since January, there have been 84 complaints about the blood-sucking insects in Hamilton, said Jim Dalzell, acting director of the city’s health department. He said his department instated an online system for tracking complaints this year.

“Compared to other jurisdictions like Cincinnati, 84 isn’t a lot,” Dalzell said. “But two years ago we didn’t have any.”

Jay Moran, owner of A-Abel Exterminating, which has offices in Middletown, Lebanon and the Dayton area said, “in 2005, we probably did less than 20 bedbug jobs.

“In 2010, we’re now doing more than 20 jobs each week,” he said.

Because the tiny pests that feed on human blood and often hide in beds don’t carry diseases, some health departments don’t keep exact counts of complaints.

“If you are the one being impacted by it, it is really serious,” Warren County health commissioner Duane Stansbury said. His department has received about 100 calls a year since 2008.

Bedbugs difficult for residents to get rid of

Bedbugs have tormented Christina Rasch for two years.

The blood-sucking critters have bitten her son, causing him to break out in a rash from head to toe, and they’ve infested the family’s bedding and clothes, despite her and her boyfriend throwing away much of their furniture and twice spending $300 for an exterminator.

“Bedbugs are the absolute worst possible thing to live with, and getting rid of them is an absolute joke,” Rasch of Hamilton said.

Rasch is not alone.

An alarming number of homes in the region and country have been invaded by bedbugs, according to area health officials.

And while bedbug infestations in Middletown and Hamilton aren’t as widespread as neighboring cities, the problem is serious, officials say.

Jim Dalzell, acting director of the city’s health department, said the increased number of bed bugs is due in part to people traveling. The bugs hitch a ride in furniture, clothing and luggage.

The increase can be attributed in part also to the banning of some chemicals once used to deal with infestations, Dalzell said.

He said they can live for a year before they need to feed.

“You really need to call a professional pest control because they hide in cracks of furniture during the day ,” he said.

Dalzell said one way to avoid bed bugs is to reduce clutter. Though the pests have never been known to carry disease, Dalzell said their bites can cause rashes.

Middletown Health Department Commissioner Jackie Phillips said her agency has received 100 bedbug complaints this year.

Phillips said the explosion is due to the fact that many chemicals that once were used to kill them are now considered toxic to humans and are banned.

“We hope (the government) lifts the ban or finds something safe that we can use to get rid of the problem ,” she said.

Rasch said something needs to be done soon.

“We also rarely have anyone to our home because we don’t want the bugs to hitch onto anyone and take a ride back to their house. Not to mention, we don’t want more of them from anyone else, we already have enough of our own.”

For bedbug tips, go online to ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2105.html

Staff Writer Tiffany Y. Latta contributed to this report.

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