New Study Finds that Bed Bugs are Present in a High Percentage of Budget Apartments

In April, the findings from a research project conducted by a team from Rutgers University have many residents of low-income apartments looking closely at their bedrooms. The study, published in the Journal of Medical Entomology, examined the prevalence of bed bugs in poor neighborhoods.

Over 2,300 apartments in 43 buildings were inspected across four New Jersey cities. To the dismay of tenants, approximately one in eight apartment units had bed bugs and half of the time the residents were not aware of the infestation. Infestation rates ranged from almost 4% to over 29% of the units in the buildings tested.

Bed bugs are found worldwide, not just in low-income housing. In April, the New Haven Register published a story about bed bugs at a university and at a high school in Connecticut. According to the article, the university’s School of Medicine had to move visiting students from their dorm. At the high school, students refused to enter a classroom where the insects had been seen.

“Over the past several years, bed bugs have been reported in numerous places for the first time in decades all across the United States,” said Jason Dobranic, Ph.D., Vice President of Microbiology and Life Sciences at EMSL Analytical, Inc. “They are experts at hiding, which can make them difficult to find, so the likelihood of their presence in even more places where they have yet to be discovered remains quite high.”

To help people identify bed bug infestations, EMSL Analytical, Inc. offers an easy-to-use Bed Bug Test Kit. Once a sample is collected and sent to the laboratory, it is analyzed using advanced qPCR techniques. If test results indicate the insects are present, corrective actions can then be implemented to eradicate the pests. EMSL has also sponsored an educational video about bed bugs that can be seen at: https://youtu.be/gfAt_UAgNqA.

To learn more about testing for bed bugs or other indoor environmental issues, please contact EMSL at www.EMSL.com, call (800)220-3675 or email  info@EMSL.com . The Bed Bug Test Kit can be obtained at www.EMSLTestKits.com.

About EMSL Analytical, Inc.

EMSL Analytical is a nationally recognized and locally focused provider of environmental, indoor air quality, consumer product and materials testing services and products for professionals and the general public.  The company has an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations as well as state and federal regulating bodies.

Contact Information

Joseph Frasca

Senior Vice President of Marketing

EMSL Analytical Inc.

(1) 856-303-2503

Contact via E-mail