Symptoms of Bed Lice

Bed lice, also known as bed bugs, are small, reddish-brown bugs that have an oval-shaped flattened body. They were quite common during the World War II era, but better hygiene practices and use of DDT eradicated the problem until they recently made a comeback. Bed bugs are most common in hotel rooms, shelters and health care facilities, and often stowaway on clothing or luggage. Because they are so small, most people don't realize they have an infestation until it becomes too large to ignore.

Bites

• Bed bugs are most active at night and will feed on people by biting them in areas of exposed skin --- such as the face, neck, arms and legs --- and sucking out the blood. They usually feed for three to 10 minutes and then go off to hide while they digest their meal. Most people do not realize they've been bitten by a bed bug until they notice a reaction from the bite. Symptoms of a bed bug bite are small, raised bumps on the skin that resemble bites from mosquitoes or other insects, swelling of the area, redness and itching. Such bites and reactions are often mistaken for flea or mosquito bites, which cause infestations of bed bugs to go unnoticed.

Odor

• Bed bugs leave a distinctive, musty, sweet odor around infested areas, produced by a bed bug's sweat gland secretions. Homeowners do not often notice odors from bed bugs, but they are apparent in hotel rooms and other places that get heavy infestations. Because of this, odors are not a reliable way of detecting bed bugs.

Symptoms on Furniture

• When determining if you have a bed bug infestation, check within the folds of the mattresses and sheets for signs of the bugs, as well as the bugs themselves. These insects leave exoskeletons and skins from molting in the folds of mattresses as well as couch cushions. They also leave rusty-looking blood and fecal matter that stain mattresses and other furniture. If you discover a large amount of bed bugs, have your house examined with a fine-tooth comb to make sure there aren't any others hiding in unseen areas.

Treatment and Control

• The best way to prevent and control bed bugs is to be diligent when traveling. Once you reach your home, take off any sheets and covers and inspect the bed to make sure there aren't any hiding in the folds or sheets. Clean and wash your sheets weekly to every couple of weeks and at least once a month spray a disinfectant on the mattress. Once you have discovered an infestation, the University of Kentucky recommends washing sheets and pajamas in water that is 120 degrees Fahrenheit or hotter in to kill the insects. Have a professional team inspect the home and exterminate using specialized equipment. In larger infestations, it may be necessary to remove the infested furniture from the home.