If you scratch the surface ("scratch" being the operative word), Howard Stern, Maya Rudolph and Bradley Cooper have more in common than you might imagine. They've all battled (and beaten) bed bugs!
Those persistent nighttime marauders (the bugs, not the celebs) can cause rashes, irritated bumps that look like mosquito bites, or even hives, although not everyone reacts to the bites, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Fortunately, the bugs are not known to spread any diseases.
Over the past 20 years, the tiny blood-suckers have become increasingly prevalent in densely populated urban areas. It's estimated that in some NYC neighborhoods, 12 percent of apartments and businesses are infested. It takes a lot of work to eradicate them, since although one generation may be KO'd, their eggs hatch and a second wave can take their place, even after treatment with heat, cold or approved pesticides.
Individuals who are afflicted (and it's not because of poor hygiene or sloppy housekeeping) need to make sure they don't spread the infestation. States need to make the reporting of bed bugs a law. A recent study found that in the long run it saves landlords and tenants money, since it reduces infestations.
It takes a war plan to get them out of your house. The good news is that most stuff can be de-bugged, and you don't have to throw it out. So, for a detailed strategy to combat an invasion go to www.EPA.gov and search for "bed bugs." You'll find all the info you need.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
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