Two weeks ago new research that suggested an FDA approved drug may be able to kill bed bugs.
Sounds great, right? It may sound promising, but the idea isn’t new. According to Business Insider, a series of patents published in the 1980s and 1990s covered the approach with a different drug. The general idea has been floated at entomology conferences, by medical doctors, and in online forums ever since. And, there are several reasons why it has never gained traction.
- Ivermectin was not originally developed for bed bugs; it may not be very potent way to kill them.
- In the recent study, only three out of five bed bugs who snacked on the ivermectin blood died, and that was three hours after their blood meal. The bugs that survive the tainted blood would be more likely to develop and pass on resistance to ivermectin, which has developed in other parasites.
- Ivermectin was designed to kill parasites that live inside the body and can't escape the drug. Bed bugs, on the other hand, only feed off humans about once a week. Humans would need to take the drug, which is only meant to be taken as a one-time dose, for several weeks before they could be sure the majority of their buggy bedfellows were dosed.
Researcher, Johnathan Sheele, stressed that the findings are preliminary and that bed bug sufferers shouldn’t take ivermectin to try to kill them off. It isn't approved for long term use to treat bed bugs, and getting it approved would be too costly.
So, how do you know if you have bed bugs? There are many bed bug signs:
- Dried blood spots. Bed bugs feces are tiny blood spots left behind after bed bugs feed on their victim’s blood. These dark brown/black spots are found where bed bugs often hide around mattress seams, bedding, behind picture frames and furniture. Bed bugs can be very difficult to eliminate, contact your bed bug removal company immediately to prevent them from spreading and getting worse.
- Castings. Bed bugs will shed their exosteleon in order to grow. This process is called molting, which requires a blood meal. After growing through five molts, the bed bug becomes an adult. These castings are beige in color and approximately the size of an apple seed or smaller.
- Insects. Bed bugs are red/brownish in color and are approximately the size of an apple seed. Bed bug eggs are translucent in color and the 1 mm in size.
- Bed Bug Bites. Bed bug bites are often in clusters and red in color. Bites can affect everyone differently, but are often itchy.
If you believe you may have an infestation of bed bugs, if contact your Saratoga bed bug removal specialist as soon as possible. Identifying the presence of bed bugs and starting service are important steps to rid bed bugs effectively. For homeowners in Ghent, Schenectady, Albany, Troy, Saratoga and Lake George, we offer effective bed bug services to help solve your bed bug problem. Contact Thomas Pest Services today, for more information about bed bugs or Albany bed bug treatments. Protect your health, home, family and property with pest removal, contact us via phone at 1-877-518-2847, via web inquiry, Facebook or Twitter!