Bed Bugs May Drive You Crazy, But They Won't Make You Sick

Bed bugs are a nuisance that is on the rise around the world, but the bugs don't spread disease, according to new research. Because they feed on blood, there was a concern that the pests transmitted diseases like HIV and hepatitis, but it now seems that they don't pose a health threat. Led by entomologist Jerome Goddard, the study showed no sign of disease transmission by the bugs; it did confirm, however, the bugs' increased resistance to insecticides and the lack of alternative methods to eradicate infestations, as well as the lack of effective treatment options for troublesome bites. Many people don't even know they've been bitten: 7 in 10 people see no signs apart from an almost invisible puncture mark on their skin. When people do get a reaction, it usually takes the form of red, itchy patches a few millimetres across, each one the result of an individual ...