Unhealthy Effects of Bed Bug Waste

A new study from North Carolina State University suggests homes with a bed bug (Cimex lectularius) infestation may have higher levels of histamines even after the bed bugs have been exterminated. These histamines, found in bed bug feces, serve as a way to attract other bed bugs as either a mating signal or a way to keep competing bed bugs away from a marked territory. Infested homes showed a level of histamines 20 times higher than normal which persisted up to three months after the infestation was eradicated.

Histamines are responsible for allergic and other immune reactions. Symptoms include a runny nose, swollen and painful sinuses, a red skin rash, itchy eyes, and, in some more severe cases, a constricted airway causing difficulty breathing. It should be noted there hasn't been a lot of research on how specific bed bug histamines affect humans. Still, it could be a good idea to hire a professional cleaning crew after your bed bugs have been removed, especially if you or family members already have difficulties with allergies already.

*Foley, K. E. (2018, February 12). Even after you get rid of bed bugs, chemicals in their waste lingers for months. Retrieved from https://qz.com/