What BedBugs Teach Us About Allergic Reactions
Why the 60% do and the 40% don’t.
In 2011 I attended a pest control conference where a well published entomologist did a study to identify why all individuals after being bitten by a bedbug did not see a skin reaction. When I heard this I immediately wanted to test this theory on myself. So, I took a couple of bedbugs and let them feed on my arm to see if I had a reaction to the bite.
After a few minutes of good feeding, I pulled the bedbugs off and no bite marks.
I am really surprised to see that the bedbugs produced zero bite marks on my arm.
So, the study concludes that 60% of individuals will receive a reaction to a bedbug bit, where the other 40% will never know if they have been bitten.
Why is it that the 60% received a reaction to a bedbug bite. It is quite simple. When a bedbug pierces your skin to feed it releases saliva. The saliva is not dirty and is not full of diseases, but rather the 60% received a visible reaction on their skin because they are allergic to the bedbug saliva.
I know that sounds pretty disgusting. But I wonder how that relates to other allergies. Are you one of those that does not get allergies? Are you one of those people that hardly ever gets sick? I am one of those people. It is very rare for me to suffer from allergies and yet I do not react to bedbug bites. Is there a connection? I guess that is one for the doctors.
As I said before, there have been many studies that have shown bedbugs do not carry diseases. What is interesting is that when a visible reaction is apparent on the skin, it develops an irritation. Because of this irritation, individuals will scratch the bedbug bit and can cause rashes because the individuals nails/fingertips are dirty.
The moral of the story is if you are part of the 40% that do not show a visible reaction to bedbug bites, don’t you think it would be a great idea to take some preventive steps.
1. Make sure you wash your sheets and bed linens regularly.
2. It is always a good idea to search your bed for bedbugs.
3. When you go to a hotel, motel or somewhere that has bedbugs in the past, take the precautions and put your clothes directly into a washer when you get home.
Best of all, goto: www.bedbug-treatments.com is a great source to help you check your bed for bedbugs and how to keep them away.