News for the Hospitality Executive |
Bed Bugs and Business Travel:
Statistics Show Both are Increasing
- Tips For Business Travelers for Detecting Unwanted Roommates - CHARLOTTE, N.C., September 14, 2010 - Though summer travel season is over, there's been no hiatus from the rampant bed bug infestations overtaking hotel rooms nationwide. Moreover, business travel is predicted to increase according to a recent survey from AirPlus International. So, experts at Steritech � the second largest commercial only pest prevention provider in North America � are offering tips for business travelers to detect bed bugs and help ensure they don't bring them home. According to a statement issued jointly in July 2010 by the Centers for Disease control and the Environmental Protection Agency, there has been an "alarming resurgence" in the beg bug population in the U.S. Bed bugs, like head lice, feed on the blood of humans, but are not known to transmit diseases. Nonetheless, they cause mental, physical and economic angst wherever they appear. Judy Black, a board certified entomologist and the Technical Director at Steritech � whose clients include hotels, hospitals and educational institutions � advises hotel occupants to always check out their hotel room before unpacking anything. "The problem with bed bugs is that most people have little or no physical reaction to the bites at all � therefore, they may never know they've stayed in an infested hotel room," said Black. "Before they know it, it is too late. They may have already brought bed bugs home with their luggage and infested their house," she added. She stresses that it's important to take the following precautions to avert a bed bug encounter in your hotel room.
If you find that you have carried bed bugs home with you from a recent business trip, Black suggests calling a professional immediately rather than trying any home remedies or handling dangerous and often times inappropriate pesticides. In the statement from the CDC and EPA, the agencies acknowledged that the exact cause of bed bugs is not known, but "experts suspect the resurgence is associated with increased resistance to bed bugs to available pesticides, greater international and domestic travel, lack of knowledge regarding control of bed bugs due to their prolonged absence, and the continuing decline or elimination of effective vector/pest control programs at state and local public health agencies." Steritech is unveiling a new, patent-pending thermal chamber treatment method in October to treat bed bug infestations more effectively and in less recovery time than traditional and current methods. The Steritech Group, Inc. provides specialized brand protection services for the hospitality, retail, food processing and healthcare industries. The premier provider of food safety, quality assurance and pest prevention services, Steritech is a trusted partner to many of the world's leading brands. Founded in 1986 and headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Steritech has operations throughout North America and serves clients in 30 countries. For more information on Steritech, please visit www.steritech.com or call 1.800.868.0089, ext. 703. |
Contact:
The Steritech Group, Inc.
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