Bed bugs pop up in seniors homes, courthouses across Canada

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Bed bugs crawl around in a container on display during the 2nd National Bed Bug Conference in Washington, DC, February 2, 2011. JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images

CALGARY Two seniors homes in southern Alberta are being treated for bedbugs, but health officials say theres no reason for concern beyond the ick factor.

Alberta Health Services confirms staff at the Pemmican Lodge and Black Rock Terrace in Lethbridge have been dealing with the itchy insects for the last few months. Exterminators have been brought in and, last week, education sessions were held for residents and staff.

While bedbugs are for the most part harmless, the stealthy insects are hard to detect and even more difficult to kill, said Lynne Navratil, supervisor of safe-built environments for Alberta Health Services.

Small, flat, oval-shaped and about the size of an apple seed, the bugs feed on the blood of people and animals.

And they have been popping up in some unusual places lately.

Four buses in Edmonton have been fumigated this year after someone reported seeing bugs, although the city says that ultimately no insects were found. There have been reports of bugs at courthouses in both Vancouver and St. Johns, N.L.

Navratil said theres no doubt that bedbug infestations have become more prevalent. Public health officials deal with complaints regularly.

When I started as a health inspector 17 years ago, we really didnt deal with bedbugs a lot. It was pretty rare, Navratil said. It was more something that parents said at night the old saying: Dont let the bedbugs bite.

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Bed bugs pop up in seniors homes, courthouses across Canada