Bedbug Enzyme Treatment Research

Bedbugs are parasites that feed on the blood of sleeping humans. While there is no evidence that bedbugs transmit diseases, bedbug bites cause skin infections including allergic reactions, rashes and secondary infections, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health.

Bug Identification

• Bedbugs, bat bugs and bird bugs appear similar, and an expert analysis is required to verify which is which. All types of the bugs bite humans, but only the bedbug uses human blood for sustenance. Identification is necessary for effective extermination measures.

Traditional Solution

• Traditional solutions for bedbug extermination include the complete cleaning and hot-water laundering of all items in the room, and the sealing of all cracks and crevices in the room. A chemical treatment is then applied to the room and furniture. The most common treatment, prior to its ban in 1972, was DDT. Modern chemicals provide less effectiveness but they also cause less damage to human health.

New Solution

• Bedbug enzyme research conducted by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the University of Kentucky and the Rocky Mountain Laboratories in 2010 focused on treatments using the bug's saliva to produce a nucleotide-binding enzyme. The new enzyme is introduced into the environment to discourage the bug's human feeding activity.