"One was spotted by a mom in the room," says Jennifer Perry, a spokesperson for Iowa Health.
That room at Blank Children's Hospital was one of two treat for bed bugs in the last month. How they got there, no one knows.
"People are coming and going all the time and bed bugs hitch a ride."
They can catch a ride on clothes, luggage, linens ? you name it. They're also not picky about where they stay. Infestations have been reported in hotels, libraries, dormitories and yes, hospitals.
Perry says the rooms at Blank were treated and the hospital is confident the bed bugs are gone, at least for the time being.
"The thing is, they're gone now but they many not stay gone forever, because new ones come in when people are coming and going all the time."
Brad Smith, the President of Preferred Pest Control says he's seeing them everywhere right now, "I've never seen anything like this in my 25 years in the pest control industry."
Smith's business is booming. He's booked into next month and this month he hired five more people to keep up with the demand for bed bug eradication.
"I get calls daily," says Smith. "Three years ago, I had one call a month."
Smith is also getting another dog to sniff out bed bugs. Preferred Pest Control already has one, named Radar. They call him the bed bug detective. In a demonstration of his skills, Radar located bed bugs hidden in office furniture.
"Good boy, good boy," says Radar's trainer as the dog raises a paw to indicate a bed bug is hiding in the crook of a chair.
Smith says Radar can detect bed bugs people can't see. Once Radar spots them, Smith and his staff kill them with heat and chemicals.
He says getting rid of bed bugs is a job for professionals, "Bed bugs cannot be controlled by washing sheets and vacuuming floors alone."
In fact, cleanliness has no bearing on where bed bugs decide to make their home.
"Bed bugs are in the nicest hotels, homes," says Smith. "Anyone can get bed bugs."
That includes hospitals. Since the outbreak, employees at Blank have been instructed to be on the look-out for bugs ? any bugs. If one is spotted, it's captured and identified in an attempt to head off a bed bug infestation.
"As far as prevention, we're doing everything we can to keep an eye out for them," says Perry.
That room at Blank Children's Hospital was one of two treat for bed bugs in the last month. How they got there, no one knows.
"People are coming and going all the time and bed bugs hitch a ride."
They can catch a ride on clothes, luggage, linens ? you name it. They're also not picky about where they stay. Infestations have been reported in hotels, libraries, dormitories and yes, hospitals.
Perry says the rooms at Blank were treated and the hospital is confident the bed bugs are gone, at least for the time being.
"The thing is, they're gone now but they many not stay gone forever, because new ones come in when people are coming and going all the time."
Brad Smith, the President of Preferred Pest Control says he's seeing them everywhere right now, "I've never seen anything like this in my 25 years in the pest control industry."
Smith's business is booming. He's booked into next month and this month he hired five more people to keep up with the demand for bed bug eradication.
"I get calls daily," says Smith. "Three years ago, I had one call a month."
Smith is also getting another dog to sniff out bed bugs. Preferred Pest Control already has one, named Radar. They call him the bed bug detective. In a demonstration of his skills, Radar located bed bugs hidden in office furniture.
"Good boy, good boy," says Radar's trainer as the dog raises a paw to indicate a bed bug is hiding in the crook of a chair.
Smith says Radar can detect bed bugs people can't see. Once Radar spots them, Smith and his staff kill them with heat and chemicals.
He says getting rid of bed bugs is a job for professionals, "Bed bugs cannot be controlled by washing sheets and vacuuming floors alone."
In fact, cleanliness has no bearing on where bed bugs decide to make their home.
"Bed bugs are in the nicest hotels, homes," says Smith. "Anyone can get bed bugs."
That includes hospitals. Since the outbreak, employees at Blank have been instructed to be on the look-out for bugs ? any bugs. If one is spotted, it's captured and identified in an attempt to head off a bed bug infestation.
"As far as prevention, we're doing everything we can to keep an eye out for them," says Perry.
