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“Good night, sleep tight. Don’t let the bedbugs bite!”
While many children are familiar with this catchy rhyme, many do not know that bedbugs do exist…. even on college campuses.
Recently, due to one student’s experience with bedbugs at Fairfield University, there was a rumor that there was an outbreak in freshman dorms Jogues Hall and Gonzaga Hall; however, the director of Residence Life said that in this isolated case, the bedbugs were brought into the dorms by an outside source
“We currently work with an outside exterminating company to address any and all concerns of bedbugs,” explained Charlie Sousa, associate director of Residence Life. “To date there has been one isolated issue of bedbugs on campus, so this is not an epidemic or an outbreak.”
Besides Sousa, no other representatives from ResLife, including Area Coordinators and Resident Assistants, would comment on this incident.
According to Sousa, Facilities Management and ABM were involved in working with the student affected in this case in exterminating the bedbugs. It was immediately addressed and is said to have only affected one room.
Because some students were skeptical of bedbugs in their rooms, ResLife said that they sent exterminators to check each room that filed a complaint. According to Sousa, with the exception of this one case, there have been no further discoveries of bedbugs.
The Fairfield student involved asked to remain anonymous and had no comment either.
Bedbugs are small, oval-shaped bugs that feed off blood from humans and animals. They can live in any furniture, but are often found in beds.
Bedbugs are most active at night and bite any exposed skin. The bites are usually painless and appear as small, red bumps. They may be itchy and swollen.
Through the use of clothing, luggage, or used furniture, bedbugs can spread.
Because they are often confused with mosquito bites, bedbugs must be seen and identified to confirm that they are the cause of the bites.
In addition to having an exterminator chemically kill the bugs, there are treatments that can be done to clean up infested areas.
In 2008, USA Today discussed bedbugs in college dorms. Ohio State University and University of Florida have both experienced outbreaks in recent years.
Bedbugs are not a sign of uncleanliness.
“The bug doesn’t discriminate on social status. Blood’s blood,” said Richard Cooper, co-author of Bedbug Handbook: The Complete Guide to Bedbugs and Their Control.
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