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Video length: 2 min.
More than one in ten French households has been affected by bedbugs in recent years. The National Health Security Agency unveils a report on the extent of the phenomenon. If there is no link with hygiene or the social environment, getting rid of these pests can be expensive.
Bed bugs intrude into every corner of homes, even into clothing. These insects, which feed exclusively on human blood, are difficult to detect and eradicate. A couple of Parisians have been living a nightmare for a week. He discovered a dozen bedbugs in their daughters’ room. Insecticide, lacquer, essential oils and steam cleaner: they tried everything. Like them, nearly one in ten households has been infected with bed bugs in France.
A costly battle
The fight can be costly: 866 euros on average. Cold is effective in killing bedbugs. Contrary to popular belief, their presence does not reflect a lack of hygiene. However, the victims suffer from the shame of being singled out. The health cost is also high: 83 million euros. “It is linked to the coverage of care, a small part of this cost, but also to all the detriments, poor quality of life, work stoppages…“, explains Matthieu Schuler, Deputy Director General of the Research and Reference Center at ANSES.