The hospitality industry has been hit repeatedly in recent years. Starting with 911 onwards, going through SARS and bird flu alerts and over the last 5 years, bed bugs. Without trying to defend hotel operators, they should be given a break. Most hotel / motel owners try to provide satisfactory services commensurate with the prices they charge. You won’t find silk sheets and marble bathrooms for $ 75 a night, but you should expect a clean and comfortable room.
For the sake of discussion, let’s grant that most hotel operators inspect their rooms and treat any infestations they find. So how come there are so many complaints and lawsuits related to these miniature vampires?
News reports about bed bug attacks never have the victim bitten once or twice, it is always a lot of bites. Many bites are caused by many bed bugs. Many bed bugs don’t just magically appear in a hotel room, an infestation takes time to develop. They are hitchhikers, hiding in suitcases or belongings and traveling from one place to another. Remember, we are not talking about one or two mistakes, we are talking about tens or hundreds. Therefore, if a hotel room has some errors, these could have been brought by the previous guest and it would be almost impossible to avoid them. But, if a hotel has an infestation, a lot of bugs, then that is the hotel’s fault for improper inspection and treatment. The only explanation for an infested room would be that the hotel was negligent in prevention and treatment.
Now to the gist of the article.
If a hotel has an infestation, that means:
– Previous guests did not notice the insects or did not feel the bites, which is possible, not all people feel or react to the bites.
– the cleaning staff did not inspect or did not see any signs of a problem.
– the housekeeper, who must periodically inspect the work that his employees are doing, did not inspect or see errors.
– The laundry did not notice any signs, brownish spots of dried blood, of insects.
– this hotel does not have a pest control company on its payroll, at least one that is doing its job properly.
– and this is the biggest one, if the employees at this hotel and the laundry room couldn’t find or didn’t bother to treat bed bugs, what else is on the sheets or in the room that will make you sick?
Currently, there is no evidence that cimex lectularius can transmit any of the 28 disease pathogens that it has been found to carry. I say currently because bed bugs are a recent problem. Scientists are just beginning to understand its biology. Why can’t they transmit disease, or can they, but we haven’t discovered any proof yet? But, MSRA and E. Coli are harmful and have been found in many hotel rooms in many studies. So far, viruses and bacteria are more harmful to your health than bed bugs, but bed bugs get all the press. Why? Because we can see bed bugs. If you wake up with red spots all over your body and then find a bed bug, close the case. But, if you have diarrhea or the flu while traveling, how can you trace it to the sheets, towels, or the TV remote in your hotel room?
Bed bugs are not the only parasite found in hotel beds. The scabies mite is so small that it cannot be seen without magnification. Unlike bed bugs, scabies is a major health problem if you do get them.
Unfortunately, this entire bed bug epidemic has monopolized media coverage and hotel budgets. Every time you read about a bed bug infested retail store, this is probably not true. Some bugs were found and the place was addressed, simple. But bed bugs are a real problem in the hotel industry. Hotels are spending millions on pest control for a problem that can be more efficiently managed with education, rigorous inspection, and focused treatment. But a proper inspection means trained staff, which means higher wages, which means a lower bottom line. It is cheaper to hire a company to fumigate and litigate on that basis.
Here is another question to answer. How much, what pesticide, you are exposed to when you stay in a hotel that is being or has been treated for parasites A few months ago, a New Jersey pest control company was fined for illegally using poisonous pesticides not approved for use in indoors, indoors. Are hotels legally required to notify guests if pesticides are being used on hotel premises or in rooms? Has a receptionist ever told you that the room you are about to check in has recently been treated with pyrethroids, which are the pesticides of choice for most infestations? And while we ask, what bleaches and detergents are used to wash bedding and what chemical cleaners are used in the bedroom and bathroom.
For the average traveler, exposure to any of the hundreds of pesticides or chemical detergents will be uneventful or cause colds, a bit of a rash, or itching. Passed by nothing, the traveler continues his joyful way without thinking twice. Maybe it will affect your health later on, maybe it’s cumulative, or maybe it won’t have any adverse effects. For people with chemical sensitivities, it is another story. Have you ever wondered why your skin itches after staying in a motel on a road trip or why you suddenly have a runny nose?
Some will say that you can get hit by a bus in front of your house, so why worry about things you can’t control? When I cross the street I look both ways. When you are tucking your children into a hotel bed, have you looked both ways? Blind trust or ignorance is not the way to go. I would never think about not traveling, but, just like I take travel insurance, I educate myself and take precautions to ensure a healthy and happy trip.
Feel free to ask the receptionist about bed bugs or treatments in your room. Check the bedroom and mattress for signs of past or present infestations. Clean surfaces and things you will touch with antibacterial wipes. Use or carry a sleeping bag or travel sheet with you in case you need it. There are many articles you can access to learn how to inspect and protect against parasites, bacteria, and viruses.