Bed bug outbreak at Wilkes dorm

Recently some Wilkes University residents have learned to take the old cliche, "Don't let the bed bugs bite," as gospel.

Brenda Stanley, director of residence life at Wilkes University, confirmed an outbreak of Cimex lectularius, or bed bugs, in one of the University's residence halls.

"The Office of Residence Life can confirm a report of bedbugs in one of our residence halls," said Stanley.

Out of respect for the residents in the hall, Stanley did not want to name the location.

"All the students in the residence hall were notified of the situation in a timely manner. Students were reassigned to temporary housing while pest control professionals (Terminix) treated the building," said Stanley.

However this is not an isolated incident. Reports of bed bugs have been coming in from colleges across the country.

According to BedBugCentral.com, "Bed bugs have made a recent resurgence all across the United States as well as worldwide and are now being found in high-end hotels, apartment complexes, hospitals and even college residence halls."

Jeff White, a research entomologist for BedBugCentral.com, said that one of the problems is that people believe that bed bugs are a myth.

"When in truth and reality they are insects that do infect structures. They usually live in association with sleeping areas, although that's not definitive…which could be beds or couches, depending on where people are sleeping," said White.

He added that bed bugs must be transferred from one carrier to another.

"Meaning, you can't get them walking down the street or taking your dog for a walk or anything like that," he says. "You either have to go visit someone who has a bed bug infestation or somebody that had had them on them and they walk off while they are there."

White describes bed bug adults as "small, about a quarter inch long, reddish brown insects."

"They feed on blood…and they come out from where they are hiding - they hide in cracks and crevices and different places - they come out while you are sleeping, at night, and feed on blood," says White.

For those who may have been bitten by bed bugs, White offers some words of comfort by explaining that there is not relation between bed bugs and disease.

White says that one of the most effective treatments against bed bugs is education. Stanley says that the students and parents impacted by the bed bug outbreak at the residence hall was sent literature on bed bugs and the October edition of their parent newsletter will also include information on the subject.

How does a student know if they have bed bugs?

"If someone has a series of bites on their body, typically on the chest/torso or leg/foot region, they should visit our Health and Wellness Office, located on the first floor of Evans Hall. The bites would have not pattern (random) and may appear to look like mosquito bites. A professional can determine if in fact, they are bedbug bites," says Stanley.

White added that these bites tend to appear in rows or clusters.

White says that "it's just being aware and knowing what to do and what not to do and when you think you may have a problem reporting it to your university housing as fast as possible."

Stanley says that if an infestation is confirmed or suspected, the office of residence life has a set process to follow.

"Terminix has a standing contract with the University and so they are called to do an assessment to determine if in fact the suspected report is true. If they find bedbugs, we immediately begin a process of treatment as recommended by Terminix to remedy the situation in a timely and efficient manner. The typical response is a high intense steam treatment, coupled with a chemical spray and powder in the affected areas. Following the first treatment, Terminix schedules five additional weekly check-ups to the affected areas to ensure their chemical treatments were effective," she says.

Stanley also added that it is important to note that, "Bed bugs should not be associated with a hygiene or cleanliness issue."