title: Bedbugs and infectious diseases.
abstract: Bedbugs are brown and flat hematophagous insects. The 2 cosmopolite species, Cimex lectularius and Cimex hemipterus, feed on humans and/or domestic animals, and recent outbreaks have been reported in occidental countries. Site assessment for bedbug eradication is complex but can be assured, despite emerging insecticide resistance, by hiring a pest-control manager. The common dermatological presentation of bites is an itchy maculopapular wheal. Urticarial reactions and anaphylaxis can also occur. Bedbugs are suspected of transmitting infectious agents, but no report has yet demonstrated that they are infectious disease vectors. We describe 45 candidate pathogens potentially transmitted by bedbugs, according to their vectorial capacity, in the wild, and vectorial competence, in the laboratory. Because of increasing demands for information about effective control tactics and public health risks of bedbugs, continued research is needed to identify new pathogens in wild Cimex species (spp) and insecticide resistance.
authors.affiliation: Service de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Hôpital de l'Archet, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice and INSERM U895/Université de Nice-Sophia Antipolis, Nice, France. delaunay.p@chu-nice.fr
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Delaunay
authors.forename: Véronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Blanc
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Del Giudice
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Levy-Bencheton
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Chosidow
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marty
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brouqui
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001511:Bedbugs; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods; D007299:Insect Bites and Stings / Q000150:complications* / Q000517:prevention & control; D007300:Insect Control / Q000379:methods