Response to Ledezma et al, Feb 4:
Here in England at least, I have never encountered nor read about domestic pets bing involved in transmission of bed bugs. I am aware that mammalian or avian blood is required by bed bugs for survival for prolonged periods. May be in Colombia the bed bugs find nonhuman blood very palatable. Could we please have a definitive statement about the role of dogs, cats, parrots, budgerigars, canaries, chickens, in transmitting Cimex?
Our Health Protection Agency and its Colombian counterpart should be able to settle the point.
JK Anand
Competing interests:
Have had personal and professional encounters with Cimex, many moons ago.
Rapid Response:
Re: Bed bug infestation
Response to Ledezma et al, Feb 4:
Here in England at least, I have never encountered nor read about domestic pets bing involved in transmission of bed bugs. I am aware that mammalian or avian blood is required by bed bugs for survival for prolonged periods. May be in Colombia the bed bugs find nonhuman blood very palatable. Could we please have a definitive statement about the role of dogs, cats, parrots, budgerigars, canaries, chickens, in transmitting Cimex?
Our Health Protection Agency and its Colombian counterpart should be able to settle the point.
JK Anand
Competing interests: Have had personal and professional encounters with Cimex, many moons ago.