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5 myths about bedbugs

<p>Just about everyone fears these nasty critters turning up in their hotel bed or home. Let’s separate the myths from the facts.</p> <p><strong>Myth 1: Bedbugs mean you have poor hygiene</strong></p> <p>Bedbugs can spring up anywhere, from the cleanest penthouse bedroom to the most questionable hostel bunk bed. Dirt has really nothing to do with attracting bedbugs – they are only interested in having human bodies nearby for a food source.</p> <p>It can help to reduce clutter as it gives them fewer places to hide, but don’t feel that they are a reflection on your housekeeping skills.</p> <p><strong>Myth 2: Bedbugs only live in beds</strong></p> <p>The name bedbug is a misnomer – these little biters will happily live pretty much anywhere. Think lounges, cushions, carpet, chairs, railings, even the walls.</p> <p>So once you brush against something, the bugs will transfer to you and you’ll carry them along with you.</p> <p><strong>Myth 3: Any bug in my bed is a bedbug</strong></p> <p>Probably not! A recent review found that fewer than 10% of the bugs that were reported actually turned out to be bedbugs. People have become very aware of bedbugs due to news reports and hotel horror stories, so they are more inclined to jump to conclusions.</p> <p>Don’t panic and have the situation property assessed before you assume the worst.</p> <p><strong>Myth 4: Bedbugs spread disease</strong></p> <p>They will give you itchy and unsightly bites, but that’s about all you have to worry about. There have been no reported cases of bedbugs ever spreading any kind of disease.</p> <p>Keep in mind however that the bugs have been found to harbour human pathogens, like viruses and bacteria, but they do not multiply within the bug’s body.</p> <p><strong>Myth 5: You can kill bedbugs with insect spray</strong></p> <p>Sorry – you’re going to need to invest in more than a can of Mortein to evict these houseguests. Most bedbugs are resistant to over the counter sprays and you could end up doing harm to yourself by coating your bed in chemicals.</p> <p>You’ll need to get a quote from a professional exterminator who can offer fumigation or heat-based treatments. But beware, these won't come cheap.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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7-year-old girl ravaged by bedbugs – and you'll never guess where it happened

<p>You might not be surprised to find bed bugs in a cheap hotel or dodgy hostel, but you certainly don’t expect to find them before you even arrive at your destination.</p> <p>That’s exactly what happened to 38-year-old Heather Szilagyi, who claims she and her 7-year-old daughter were left bleeding after being ravaged by the critters while flying to London Heathrow Airport with British Airways.</p> <p><img width="500" height="598" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/44304/nintchdbpict000360218316_500x598.jpg" alt="Nintchdbpict 000360218316" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>According to Heather, despite informing cabin crew that her seat (and those surrounding her) were crawling with bed bugs, they were unable to reseat her, her daughter and her fiancé Eric.</p> <p>The family from Vancouver had been on their way to Slovakia with a stopover in London when they first spotted the bugs.</p> <p>“It was about half-an-hour to an hour into the flight I saw one. It was coming out of the back of the TV screen. It came out of that and I wanted to get it with a Kleenex but it crawled back in," Heather recalled. </p> <p>“Our food came out and I went to put the tray down on my lap. I saw what was maybe a flax seed –  but it started moving – it was a bug," Heather added. </p> <p>“Once we got to the Airbnb that we were staying in, we went to sleep. My daughter had a few bites on her thighs but when she woke up she was covered, she had them all over. It was just so bad and awful, my daughter was bleeding.”</p> <p><img width="500" height="500" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/44305/nintchdbpict000360218319_500x500.jpg" alt="Nintchdbpict 000360218319" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>Heather told <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/4684738/furious-mum-slams-british-airways-after-daughter-7-was-ravaged-by-bed-bugs-and-left-bleeding-on-flight/" target="_blank"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Sun</span></strong></em></a> the experience has “ruined” their trip after the family were forced to spend hours washing themselves, their clothes and tending to their sores.</p> <p>“We just want to make sure that aeroplane is taken care of and so we just want to make sure that we have a flight tomorrow morning, and we have to get back into another BA flight. We just want to get on a plane that doesn’t have fabric seats, or maybe another partner airline," Heather said.</p> <p>A spokesperson for the airline told <em>The Sun</em> they have "said sorry" to the family, claiming that reports of bed bugs on board their planes are “extremely rare”.</p> <p>“Nevertheless, we are vigilant and continually monitor our aircraft. The presence of bed bugs is an issue faced occasionally by hotels and airlines all over the world."</p> <p><em>Image credit: The Sun.</em></p>

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