From the Research
The true statement about bed bugs is that bed bug bites are usually arranged in a rough line or in a cluster. This distinctive bite pattern occurs because bed bugs often feed multiple times during a single feeding session, moving slightly between bites as they follow blood vessels beneath the skin 1. Unlike the other options listed, which are misconceptions, bed bugs can infest clean environments just as easily as dirty ones, as they are attracted to carbon dioxide and body heat rather than filth. They do not transmit diseases like malaria or Zika virus to humans, despite being a nuisance pest 2, 3, 4. Additionally, while bed bugs are commonly found in beds and mattresses, they can also infest other furniture, baseboards, electrical outlets, picture frames, and any small cracks or crevices within a home, not just bedding.
Some key characteristics of bed bug bites include:
- Pruritic, erythematous maculopapules occurring in clusters or in a linear or curvilinear distribution in exposed areas of the body 1
- A small red punctum may be visualized at the center of the bite mark
- Lesions that appear three in a row and papules on the upper eyelid associated with erythema and edema are highly suggestive of bites from bed bugs
- Exaggerated local reactions such as vesicles, urticarial wheals, urticarial perilesional plaques, diffuse urticaria, bullae, and nodules may occur in previously sensitized individuals
Understanding these facts about bed bugs can help in properly identifying an infestation and seeking appropriate treatment, which may include symptomatic relief with topical pramoxine and oral antihistamines, as well as integrated pest management strategies to eradicate the infestation 1.