Bedbug fears, cures topics of Rosemont convention

Stories of bloodsucking, parasitic bedbugs preying on unsuspecting victims everywhere from the fanciest hotels to the cheapest public housing apartments are spawning a fear that is proving far more dangerous that any health risks caused by the insects.

Do-it-yourself attempts to get rid of bedbugs have resulted in 111 cases of insecticide poisonings and one death, according to a study released this week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC reported that a 65-year-old North Carolina woman died in 2010 after she and her husband improperly used an overabundance of insecticides in their home, saturating everything from the mattress to her own skin and hair. Other pesticide related illnesses included headaches, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and breathing issues.

The improper use of pesticides will be one of the topics addressed during the North American Bed Bug Summit that runs Sunday through Tuesday at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare in Rosemont. It will feature global experts in bedbug management, legislative leaders and vendors showing everything from the latest technologies to dogs specially trained to sniff out bedbugs.

Bedbugs, which can deliver painful bites, are not considered disease-carriers, but they “can reduce quality of life by causing anxiety, discomfort and sleeplessness,” the CDC report concluded.

Bedbugs can inflict a psychological toll on victims by causing insomnia, depression, social isolation, shame and embarrassment, according the information scheduled to be presented in a Monday seminar entitled: “Fear and Loathing: Social Issues & the Psychological Impact of Bedbugs.” Congressman Robert Dold, a Kenilworth Republican who was president of one of the oldest pest-control firms in the nation, is slated to talk about government policies and the role legislation plays in the fight against bedbugs.

For more information on the conference, which is expected to draw governmental officials as well as property managers and pest-control businesses, visit nabedbugsummit2011.com.