Weekly tip: Using heat to kill bedbugs

Bedbugs are an issue that many hospitals encounter, but few want to talk about. Usually the tiny critters provoke thoughts of seedy motels or dirty mattresses, but in truth, even the cleanest environment can have an infestation--and sometimes it's not apparent until it spirals out of control.

For that reason, hospitals encountering a problem with bedbugs need a quick and efficient way to detox patient rooms with minimal disruption.

In the past, hospitals have relied heavily on ­chemical treatment of bedbug infestations, but recent reports have shown that bedbugs may be building up resistance to these chemicals, and heat-based treatments may offer a more effective and safer solution.

Now the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has thrown its support behind the use of heat treatments in place of chemicals. The September 23, 2011, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report indicated that bedbug infestations are increasing in the United States and internationally. However, the bedbugs' growing resistance to insecticides has led to a greater use of chemicals, which can have potentially harmful effects on humans.

Read more at Hospital Safety Center.