- A growing public health problem
- From hotel to home, without realizing it
- Be careful from the first moment
- The importance of speaking to professionals
THE National Association of Environmental Health Companies (ANECPLA) issued a warning before the start of the Christmas holidays: far from disappearing with the cold, bedbugs They are still active during the winter and they find in these weeks an ideal scenario to multiply.
Indeed, according to estimates from European entities, its population grows by approximately 500% each yeardriven by globalization, the constant increase in travel and climate change.
A growing public health problem
Although its size is small, barely between five and six millimetersreddish in color and flat, oval in shape, bedbugs have become one of the main public health problems internationally.
Their reappearance in Europe, which began in the 1990s, has continued to intensify to the point that they now constitute one of the most complex pests to eradicate.
Sergio Monge, president of ANECPLA, insists on dismantling one of the most widespread ideas. “It seems like they disappear with the cold, but that’s not true. They are always active and can easily travel hidden among clothing or luggage.”he warns.
Their small size allows them to easily act as true stowaways when traveling, with the consequent risk that they end up settling at home when they return from vacation.
From hotel to home, without realizing it
Bedbugs mainly feed human blood and their bites can cause allergic reactions, insomnia, anxiety and significant emotional impact in those who experience them.
Added to this is the difficulty of eliminating them once the infestation is established, a particularly common problem in accommodations with a high guest turnover ratesuch as hotels and tourist apartments.
It is for this reason that experts emphasize the importance of prevention. Monge emphasizes that it is essential to check accommodation upon arrival and departure and to take extreme precautions when unpacking at home. “It can be tedious, but it is much more advisable than having to deal with an already established infestation”he emphasizes.
Be careful from the first moment
The environmental health sector recommends maintaining a vigilant attitude from the first moment in accommodation. Carefully observing mattresses, sheets and textile areas can detect signs such as brown spots, traces of blood or small whitish eggsclear signs of the presence of bedbugs.
It is also recommended do not put the suitcase on the bed and opt for raised surfaces, reducing the risk of insects getting into luggage.
Back home, caution must remain. Checking the suitcase carefully, paying attention to seams and fabrics and washing clothes at high temperatures are basic measures to prevent the infestation from taking hold in the house. Vacuuming luggage before storing it also helps minimize risks.
The importance of speaking to professionals
At the slightest suspicion, ANECPLA insists Always contact a professional pest control company. According to their president, they are the only ones with power appropriate knowledge, products and protocols to resolve the problem effectively.
Using household insecticides, they warn, is not only ineffective, but can also spread the pest and make the situation worse.
The association also recalls that the presence of bedbugs unrelated to hygiene and can affect any environment, regardless of its level of cleanliness.
The key is in the early detection and to act quickly, especially in a period like Christmas, when traveling is synonymous with excitement, but also with the silent risk that can come home in a suitcase.
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