Do Bed Bugs Spread Disease?

Many bugs, such as mosquitoes and flies, can carry disease, so it is important that you understand what bed bugs are, where they live, if they can spread disease and how you can control them in your home.

Bed Bugs

• According to Penn State University, bed bugs are oval, flat, brown insects that measure approximately a quarter of an inch in length.

Bed Bugs' Home

• Home

  Bed bugs generally live in areas where humans or animals sleep. They can live in the floors, mattresses, furniture, rugs or walls of a home around a person's bed.

Transportation of Bed Bugs

• Bed bugs can be transported on furniture.

  Bed bugs can enter your home through the transportation of furniture or articles of clothing from another infested household or warehouse. They can also transport themselves from house to house through gutters, pipes and wires.

Effects of Bed Bugs

• Bed bugs do not cause illnesses.

  Bed bugs generally come out at night to feed on animals, birds or humans. Bed bugs can contract diseases through their feeding; however, there is no medical proof that bed bugs spread diseases or illnesses.

Extermination of Bed Bugs

• Termination of bed bugs.

  Bed bugs can be exterminated; however, the removal of bed bugs from a home should be left to the professionals due to the toxicity of the chemicals that need to be used to kill them.