Brief heat treatment is a promising way to decrease the spread of bed bugs being transported on the outer surface of luggage, according to an article on the Infection Control website.
When soft-sided suitcases were exposed to an air temperature of 70 to 75 degrees C, it took only six minutes to kill bugs.
Heat has attracted a lot of interest as a control method for bed bugs because it is effective and environmentally benign.
But it can take a lot of time for heat to thoroughly penetrate a piece of furniture or suitcase and increase the temperature of the hidden bed bugs inside.
Contaminants Under Foot: A Closer Look at Patient Room Floors
Power Outages Largely Driven by Extreme Weather Events
Nemours Children's Health Opens New Moseley Foundation Institute Hospital
Code Compliance Isn't Enough for Healthcare Resilience
Ribbon Cutting Marks First Phase Completion for New Montefiore Einstein Facility