CLAIM : The cause for bed bugs is poor hygiene
SOURCE: Social media post
VERDICT: False
Zimbabwe is grappling with a bed bug infestation which started in the capital Harare, spreading to Kwekwe and now in Bulawayo.This has become a daily topic for online users with one alleging that the country is battling these insects because of poor hygiene.
A post on X on the spread of the bed bugs to Bulawayo, makes a claim that, ‘@nickmangwana @matinyarare @matigary The cause of bedbugs is poor hygiene. Zimbabweans are regarded as the dirtiest people in the world. I will not be shocked if this extends to Yeoville, Hillbrow, and other locations where Zimbabwean aliens are present.’
Poor hygiene or not?
Associating bedbugs with poor hygiene could be one of the reasons why those affected are reluctant to report an infestation to authorities. The Herald newspaper, on the Bulawayo outbreak, reported that, ‘The bites are bad. The embarrassment is worse. Some residents say the shame is keeping them silent’.
The paper quotes a resident saying, ‘It’s hard to talk about. People will laugh at you. But we are suffering. We are tired. We can’t sleep at all. These bugs are winning.’
The Utah Department of Health and Human Services says that it’s a myth that bed bugs live in dirty places but the reality is that they are not attracted to dirt and grime but warmth, blood and carbon dioxide. However, clutter does offer more hiding spots for them.
The Atlanta Bedbugs experts expand on this stating that bed bugs are attracted to warmth which signals the presence of a potential host. These bugs are attracted to the carbon dioxide that humans exhale and to their blood, which is the primary food source for bed bugs.
‘Despite what some bed bug myths suggest, these pests can thrive in any environment, regardless of how clean it is. Infestations are not limited to dirty places; that can occur anywhere.’
The site further states that even the cleanest homes can harbour bed bugs if the conditions are right and that even high end hotels are not immune to infestations as guests from other locations can bring bed bugs.
Bed bugs can come from other infested areas or from used furniture. They can hitch a ride in luggage, purses, backpacks, or other items placed on soft or upholstered surfaces.
Conclusion
The claim that bed bugs are caused by poor hygiene is false. Bed bugs are not necessarily caused by dirt or grime but they can breed even in tidy and clean places if the conditions are right. These conditions are the presence of warmth, carbon dioxide and blood.
This fact check was produced by Emily Ncube as part of a training exercise by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation.
