230160 Bedbug-related pesticide incidents reported to the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) from 2004-2009

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Kaci Buhl, MS , Deparment of Environmental & Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
Dave Stone, PhD , Department of Environmental & Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
Over the past five years, bedbug-related inquiries to the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) have increased eight-fold, from 74 inquiries in 2004 to 585 inquiries in 2009. From a total of 1,968 inquiries, 99 callers (~5%) reported a pesticide exposure incident, misapplication or spill. Forty percent (40%) of those incidents occurred in 2009, consistent with the increasing trend in bedbug inquires over time. The type of reported incident varied, involving multiple scenarios including: 1) application of cancelled pesticides to homes; 2) people applying pesticides to their bodies that were not registered for this use; and 3) general misuse of pesticides inconsistent with label instructions. Some insecticides, particularly pyrethroids, have the potential to cause prickly, tingling sensations that could exacerbate the anxiety associated with bedbug infestations. While pyrethroids are the most widely available pesticides for indoor residential settings, bedbug resistance to pyrethroids has been widely reported. Given the rising rate of bedbug infestation in the United States, public health interventions are needed to educate landlords, tenants, homeowners, the pest control industry and health care providers about the biology and management of bedbugs in order to prevent unnecessary pesticide incidents.

Learning Areas:
Advocacy for health and health education
Environmental health sciences
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Public health or related public policy

Learning Objectives:
1. Identify biological, cultural and social factors that influence the spread of bedbugs. 2. Design public health interventions to prevent problems associated with the misuse of pesticides including misapplication, dispersal response, and pesticide poisoning.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Off-label pesticide uses have been reported to the National Pesticide Information Center. Such uses are not recommended by the presenters or by Oregon State University.

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have degrees in entomology and integrated pest management (IPM). I have documented and investigated pesticide exposure incidents as a researcher and as a regulator.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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