Bed bugs can lead to mental health problems, health officials say
Seek out a licensed pest control operator, says Saskatoon's deputy medical health officer
Bed bug infestations like the one tenants of a Saskatoon apartment block say they're dealing with can lead to mental health problems, health officials say.
While bed bugs don't pose an acute health risk, like infection, long term infestations can cause sleep deprivation and stress, said Michael Schwandt, deputy medical health officer of the Saskatoon Health Region.
Candy Pritchard, a resident of a Saskatoon apartment block, said she has been trying to get rid of bed bugs in her unit for nine months.
"I've got to cover my food," she said. "I've got to put my clothes in bags and everything has got to be packaged. You can't even sleep. It's ridiculous."
Schwandt said that if you have bed bugs in your home you should seek out a licensed pest control operator.
"We wouldn't recommend that the untrained tenant pick household products and just try to deal with it on their own," he said. "In some cases using these products, like your household Raid may actually make the problem worse. So we really do recommend getting the professional support."
He said that if someone suspects their home is infested they can contact the Saskatoon public health department and it will investigate.