Bedbugs are small, flat insects, typically reddish-brown, that range from one to seven millimeters in size, roughly the size of a Lincoln’s head on a penny. These insects are parasitic, feeding exclusively on the blood of warm-blooded animals, with a strong preference for humans. They are primarily nocturnal, seeking a blood meal while their host is at rest. While they are not known to transmit infectious diseases to people, their bites can cause skin irritation, itching, and significant psychological stress. The high level of public anxiety surrounding these pests is often fueled by common misconceptions about how they spread.
The Truth About Casual Contact
The question of whether a person can contract bedbugs from a brief encounter, such as a hug, has a clear answer: the risk is extremely low. Bedbugs are not interested in the short duration and movement of casual physical contact with a person. They are not considered contagious in the same way as a virus or bacteria, meaning they do not actively jump or fly from person to person. Unlike biological ectoparasites such as lice, bedbugs do not live on a human host. They are primarily pests of places, not people, and will eventually crawl off a person’s clothing if they accidentally hitch a ride. Transmission is generally not a concern when merely shaking hands or engaging in a quick embrace.
Passive Travel: How Bedbugs Move Between Locations
The primary mechanism for bedbug spread is passive transport, which means they “hitchhike” from one location to another. These insects are experts at hiding and will readily crawl into the seams and folds of personal belongings that remain stationary for periods of time. Items like luggage, backpacks, and even clothing that has been left lying on the floor in an infested room are common vehicles for dispersal.
This passive movement explains why infestations often begin after travel or after bringing home infested items like used furniture. Research indicates that soiled clothing is significantly more attractive to active bedbugs than clean clothing, likely due to the presence of human odor cues. This attraction to worn materials facilitates their ability to aggregate in a traveler’s laundry bag or suitcase and move to a new home. The insects will also travel through shared walls, ducts, or false ceilings in multi-unit dwellings like apartment buildings.
Why Bedbugs Are Not Human Parasites
Bedbugs are classified as transient feeders, which provides the biological reason they do not live on the human body. They seek a host only for a blood meal, which typically takes between five and ten minutes to complete. Once fully engorged, the insect immediately retreats to a dark, secluded harborage area.
The insects are highly sensitive to both body heat and host movement. Their flat, oval-shaped bodies are perfectly suited for slipping into narrow cracks and crevices, such as mattress seams or behind baseboards, not for navigating hair or clothing friction. True parasites, like lice, are adapted to live within hair or clothing and spend their entire life cycle on the host, a behavior bedbugs do not exhibit. They prefer to hide in materials like wood or fabric near the host, usually within eight feet of where a person sleeps.
Actions to Take After Suspected Exposure
If you suspect you have been in an infested environment, such as a hotel room or a theater, immediate action can prevent an infestation at home. Do not bring the luggage or personal items directly into your living area. A bathtub or garage can serve as a temporary inspection zone.
All clothing, whether worn or unworn, should be removed and immediately placed into a washing machine. Washing textiles at a high temperature, at least 60°C, followed by a high-heat drying cycle for a minimum of 30 minutes, is necessary to kill all life stages of the pest.
Luggage should be thoroughly inspected, especially along the seams and zippers, and can be treated with a steamer or placed in a sealed bag. This diligent process upon returning is the most effective personal defense against transporting the insects.