Bed bugs have begun making a comeback in the past ten years.  Recent reports indicate that two Ohio cities (Columbus and Cincinnatti) have become two of the nation's top cities for bed bug infestations.

Bed bugs are small (about 3/16 inch long), brown to reddish-brown, oval shaped parasites that prefer to feed on humans.  They are nocturnal and feed mostly at night when their host is asleep.  The bite is painless and most people do not even know they have been bitten.  Some people are more sensitive to the saliva injected by the bed bugs when they bite.  Reactions can range from mild irritation to severe itching and welts. 

A bed bug infestation is usually recognized by the blood stains from the bugs or rusty, dark spots from excrement on the sheets and mattresses.  The adult female can lay one to twelve eggs per day - with the eggs hatching 6 to 17 days later.  Several generations of bed bugs can occur within one year.

Prevention is far easier than treatment of an infestation.  To prevent bringing bed bugs into your home, be sure to inspect all clothing and luggage for bed bugs and the rusty, dark spots when you travel.   Also, used (secondhand) furniture, bedding, and mattresses should be inspected before bringing them into your home.  A bed bug can survive as long as 12 months without a blood meal.

For more information on bed bugs, visit the Ohio Department of Health website at:  http://www.odh.ohio.gov/features/odhfeatures/budbugsfeature.aspx