Bed Bug Patrol

[zwerver]

It's clear to me that bed bugs are (or may be) a problem in some albuerges. Many here advise the use of permethrin. But Wikipedia tells me

Permethrin [...] is classified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a likely human carcinogen

so I don't think I want to use that. I'm quite determined to live long enough to be able to tell my grandchildren about my camino.

I did find Bed Bug Patrol, which claims to use all natural ingredients. I have not been able to find anything about it on this forum. Does anyone have any experience with Bed Bug Patrol products?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Bed Bug Patrol Bed Bug Killer contains only 100% EPA exempt ingredients. This product is exempt from registration with the Federal EPA under section 25(b) of FIFRA, and as such, is not registered with the Federal Environmental Protection Agency. Nature's Innovation, Inc. represents that this product and its ingredients qualify for exemption from registration under FIFRA.

They seem to work very hard to avoid any oversight. Testing has been done only by their self-selected lab. There are no other studies showing that any of the ingredients are effective in repelling or killing bed bugs.

Of sodium lauryl sulfate, the principal ingredient in Bed Bug Patrol, the Material Data Safety Sheet warns of its toxicity: http://www.healthy-communications.com/msdssodiumlaurylsulfate.html

The full EPA position on permethrin:

http://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/REDs/factsheets/permethrin_fs.htm

Oral administration of permethrin in rats did identify permethrin as a potential carcinogen. The EPA concluded that it was only a weak carcinogen. There are connections to Parkinson's Disease.

Obviously it is a very personal decision to use permethrin or take a chance on bed bug bites. However, buying products of dubious value to split the difference can waste one's money, and supports the industries that thrive on fear, ignorance, and gullibility. Doing that, too, is a personal choice. I, for one, am tired of the marketing industry that keeps taking advantage of me! They once peddled a cigarette filter made of asbestos, the Micronite filter. Corporate profit is placed well ahead of consumers' interests, IMHO.

 

[zwerver]

falcon269,

Thanks for your reply. I'll take some time to read those links.

Rob

 

[Tia Valeria]

..............
Of sodium lauryl sulfate, the principal ingredient in Bed Bug Patrol, the Material Data Safety Sheet warns of its toxicity: http://www.healthy-communications.com/msdssodiumlaurylsulfate.html
...................
Corporate profit is placed well ahead of consumers' interests, IMHO.

Isn't this the stuff they put in toothpaste , shampoo etc?
I don't use any products that contain it. Seems that was a wise decision.

 

[karenfromcali]

Note to self...stop reading bed bug threads while in bed!!!
Hmm...maybe I better check just in case....lol

 

[stevenjarvis]

An interesting article by the redoubtable Gillian Tett of the Financial Times , including the alarming prospect of self heating luggage.... Enjoy !

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/fb795636-0abe-11e3-aeab-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2dThQLzE3

 

[zwerver]

Of sodium lauryl sulfate, the principal ingredient in Bed Bug Patrol, the Material Data Safety Sheet warns of its toxicity

Clearly not an option as well.
Actually, the term 'natural' doesn't mean anything, of course: uranium is also natural. (Does anyone know whether uranium helps against bed bugs...? )

But I still don't feel like inhaling permethrin for weeks or months in a row.
Maybe I should just avoid albergues all together. I'm carrying my tent anyway, because I need it in the Netherlands, Belgium and France.
Or just take a chance of being bitten. It's not that they'll chew off your entire leg... Or is it?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Maybe I should just avoid albergues all together.

They do not have exclusive rights to bed bugs!!!

 

[zwerver]

I am aware of that. But I don't expect to find them in my own single person tent.

 

[vicrev]

Note to self...stop reading bed bug threads while in bed!!!
Hmm...maybe I better check just in case....lol

Worse things than Bedbugzzzz in some beds ,Karen...............Vicrev

 

[karenfromcali]

Worse things than Bedbugzzzz in some beds ,Karen...............Vicrev

Nooooooo!!!! Don't tell me anymore!!! Denial is good!!! lol.

 

[rsmith0000]

I treated the exterior of my sleeping bag and backpack with Permethrin, for a spring Camino this year. I had no problem with bedbugs. I'm sure it's not great to subject yourself to prolonged exposure to an insecticide. But to keep bed bugs at bay for a month, I think it's well worth the small chemical-exposure risk. I intend to walk a new Camino route in 2014 and will douse my equipment again.

 

[Anniesantiago]

I treated the exterior of my sleeping bag and backpack with Permethrin, for a spring Camino this year. I had no problem with bedbugs. I'm sure it's not great to subject yourself to prolonged exposure to an insecticide. But to keep bed bugs at bay for a month, I think it's well worth the small chemical-exposure risk. I intend to walk a new Camino route in 2014 and will douse my equipment again.

I used to fight this logic, but I've given up.
Even with my MCS, this is the best strategy for anyone who does not have an environmental illness.
You really aren't too exposed to the permethrin if it's on the OUTside of your bag.

I also NEVER EVER put my mochila on the floor.
NEVER.
Bedbugs do not fly.
They crawl across the floor.
Take a bungie cord or rope to hang the backpack from a hook, or ask for a chair.

 

[zwerver]

It's all a matter of preference. I prefer non-toxic bed bugs over toxic permethrin. If someone else wants to make a different choice, it's fine with me.

 

[zwerver]

And I do think the statement could be made that it would be much more environment friendly if the albergues would fight the bed bugs (more effectively), instead of the individual pilgrims.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

non-toxic bed bugs over toxic permethrin

If it works, it cannot be non-toxic! It might just be non-studied. Who has studied lavender oil, for example, to see if it really is non-toxic just because it is "natural"? If it scares away a bed bug, there must be something in it!! Aspirin is so toxic that there is an urban myth that it would not be approved by the FDA for over the counter sale if it ever were submitted for approval. Since it is available from numerous plants (white willow is one), it is natural. It also is effective, and toxic enough to kill you.

Permethrin has been studied and approved for use in the U.S. (but rejected in several other countries). It should be used as instructed on the label. It kills bed bugs, and seems to repel them as well. Exposure for thirty days is a reasonable risk tradeoff to me considering the irritating nature of a bed bug attack.

I am not sanguine about toxic chemicals. I have Parkinson's Disease induced by exposure to Agent Orange, a herbicide that was represented as "safe" to humans. It wasn't. Ask a lot of Vietnamese!

 

[zwerver]

I guess you misread. I stated the bed bugs are non-toxic.
I'd rather be bitten than poisoned.

As a side note: my walk will last about six months, not one; so for me the odds differ.

And as a side question: how come people tend to get a bit emotional when discussing permethrin? (Search for permethrin threads, and count capital letters and exclamation marks.)

 

[Deleted member 3000]

From Purdue University:

Bed bugs are well known as annoying biting pests, and they are increasing in importance, including in hotels and other lodging establishments in the U.S. You are encouraged to learn more about the biology of bed bugs and their association with homes, apartments, hotels, and lodging establishments so that you can make more informed decisions about health risks, how to protect yourself when traveling, and whether bed bug control is warranted in a residence or lodging establishment.

Are Bed Bugs a Public Health Risk?
Bed bugs require blood in order to reproduce and complete their life cycle. The effect of bed bug bites varies among people, but they eventually produce red welts that itch. The bites themselves are not painful and typically are not felt. However, frequent feeding can disrupt people's sleep and make them irritable, and seeing bites may cause emotional distress in some people. Heavy rates of feeding can result in significant blood loss and eventually lead to anemia, especially in malnourished children.

At least 27 agents of human disease have been found in bed bugs, including viruses, bacteria, protozoa, and parasitic worms. None of these agents reproduce or multiply within bed bugs, and very few survive for any length of time inside a bed bug. There is no evidence that bed bugs are involved in the transmission (via bite or infected feces) of any disease agent, including hepatitis B virus and HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

Relatives of Bed Bugs
Bed bugs belong to the family Cimicidae of the insect order Hemiptera, the group of insects known as "true bugs." In addition to the three species that are associated with humans, there are at least 88 species of Cimicidae in the world that live with and feed on bats or birds. Approximately 10-12 species of these bugs occur in the continental U.S., including four species in Indiana. Two species are known as "bat bugs," one is known as a "swallow bug," and one is known as a "purple martin bug." Bat bugs and swallow bugs typically feed on their bat or bird hosts, but will feed on humans if their normal sources of blood are not available. The effects of their bites are similar to those associated with the bites of bed bugs. There is no evidence that bat bugs and swallow bugs transmit disease agents to humans.

There are two additional groups of Hemiptera that bite humans, the so-called "kissing bugs" and "assassin bugs," both of which belong to the family Reduviidae. Kissing bugs feed on the blood of mammals and birds, and transmit a protozoan parasite that causes a disease of humans known as "Chagas Disease." Chagas Disease is widespread in Central and South America, and an occasional case occurs in Texas. Assassin bugs, instead of being blood feeders, are predators on other insects, including crop pests. They are beneficial insects, but they will bite humans if mishandled, and the bites are very painful.

How Many Types of Bed Bugs Are There?
There is only one species of bed bug in Indiana, Cimex lectularius. This species is a pest of humans worldwide, including the entire U.S., and has over 50 common names, among them "mahogany flat," "redcoat," "wall louse," and "bed louse." A second species of bed bug, Cimex hemipterus, is limited to tropical regions of the world. A third species of bed bug, Leptocimex boueti, lives with and feeds on both humans and bats in West Africa.

Allergic reaction to bed bug bites:

Non-toxic may be in the eyes of the beholder!

 

[zwerver]

Yep.
And here is the entire paragraph:

At least 27 agents of human disease have been found in bed bugs, including viruses, bacteria, protozoa, and parasitic worms. None of these agents reproduce or multiply within bed bugs, and very few survive for any length of time inside a bed bug. There is no evidence that bed bugs are involved in the transmission (via bite or infected feces) of any disease agent, including hepatitis B virus and HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

Do you own Permethrin shares?

EDIT:
Link to full article: http://extension.entm.purdue.edu/publichealth/insects/bedbug.html

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I don't get blisters, and I don't get bitten by bed bugs! I have no commercial connection to anything, including books, products, or blogs (or capital letters).

I presume you are attempting humor.

 

[zwerver]

I presume you are attempting humor.

Well, I'm not the attacking kind of person, if that's what you mean.

But I do notice that you intentionally leave out the 2 thirds of a paragraph that put the first sentence of it in an entirely different perspective.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

There is no evidence that bed bugs are involved in the transmission

There are almost no studies on transmission, so there is no evidence. There was no evidence that ebola existed outside the monkey family. Then there was. The hantavirus was limited to rodents. Then it wasn't. If there are 27 contagions inside of bed bugs, you can bet that eventually one of them will cross populations. Nature does that.

From the University of Kentucky:

A common concern with bed bugs is whether or not they transmit diseases. Although bed bugs can harbor various pathogens, transmission to humans has not been proven and is considered unlikely. Their medical significance is most commonly attributed to itching and inflammation from their bites. Antihistamines and corticosteroids may be prescribed to reduce allergic reactions, and antiseptic or antibiotic ointments to prevent infection. Though not known to carry diseases, bed bugs can substantially reduce quality of life by causing discomfort, sleeplessness, anxiety, and embarrassment. According to some health experts, the added stress from living with bed bugs can have a significant impact on the emotional health and well-being of certain individuals.


Conventional insect repellents, like those used to deter ticks and mosquitoes, do not appear to be as effective against bed bugs. Therefore, attempting to avoid being bitten by applying insect repellent at bedtime is not recommended. Sleeping with the lights on is also not likely to deter hungry bed bugs, as they will adjust their feeding cycle to the host’s sleeping patterns.

A previous thread with a full disclosure link from me: http://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/bed-bugs-how-not-to-get-them.4697/

Perhaps you have not been around long enough to know the full bed bug history in the Forum. I try to be comprehensive.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

No. I post to inform fully, not to make you look pedantically brilliant.