Many of us can fondly remember being put to bed and being told, “Night, night. Sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite.” Most of us, fortunately, never had to actually experience the discomfort of their bites. These critters are becoming more common, infesting hotels and homes with increasing frequency, but do they cause problems?
In the April 1 issue of JAMA, research suggests they may not be so bad after all. After reviewing the published scientific literature, scientists conclude that there is little evidence that bed bugs transmit disease. They do generally cause itchiness where they have bitten. Moreoever, the research suggests there are no effective treatments for bed bug bites.
This may be of some relief because bed bugs are notoriously difficult to eradicate. Like a child ignoring the monsters under his or her bed, it may be best just to close our eyes and pretend that they may not be there.
