A few simple precautions are enough to avoid bringing these parasites into your home, where in many cases they become a health hazard and are extremely unpleasant to eradicate. 
Where holiday bed bugs are found
Cases of bed bug infestations are becoming increasingly common. These notorious parasites, feared by hotel owners, often nest in hotel beds, moving from one bed to another. How can they be avoided and how can they be controlled? They are highly invasive insects that are difficult to eliminate unless the beds, mattresses, sofas and other upholstered furniture in the affected room are disposed of.
It is not due to a lack of hygiene
Do not associate them with a lack of cleanliness or old homes and mattresses. Bed bugs are indiscriminate; they infest any home they can reach, not just dirty or old ones. Let's look at how they work: bed bugs hide in our mattresses because they know that sooner or later a guest will arrive to provide them with food: our blood. In fact, bed bugs are hematophagous insects that can quadruple their size by sucking blood.
How to kill bed bugs
DDT and other insecticides are ineffective, as bed bugs have become immune to them over time. Only gas or heat exceeding 60°C can kill them. A steam cleaner can work, but only partially, because you cannot treat the entire mattress at once, and they move while you are using it. Pest control companies use liquid nitrogen systems. In our posts, we have often received comments from people who, unfortunately, have not been able to eliminate the problem despite professional treatments. Prevention is the best defence. I apologise for the cliché, but this is a fundamental principle in this case.
How to identify these parasites
Monitoring your mattress and your skin (see below for how to identify bed bug bites) can help you detect their presence early. Bed bugs do not usually enter your home in large numbers; a single specimen is enough, as it will then lay eggs. So how do they get into our homes?
How bed bugs infest mattresses and homes
Today, the best way to pick up bed bugs is in hotels, holiday homes and campsites. Hotel rooms are hubs where occasional travellers and holidaymakers pass through, acting as veritable “express routes” for bed bugs to move from one home and bed to another, infesting other hotels and, unfortunately, private homes. They hide in mattresses, in the most concealed areas, away from the eyes of housekeeping staff, before often surreptitiously moving into suitcases, perhaps by hitching a ride on a garment placed on the bed or on the bed linen. Holidaymakers often carry bags and backpacks through the city, placing them on the ground with ease and inadvertently picking up germs and often bed bugs, which they then bring into their hotel room.
How do I know if I have been bitten by a bed bug
In summer, we are now accustomed above all to mosquito bites, which we can easily recognise and generally tolerate, and whose effect—itching—is short-lived. Bed bug bites are like small wounds, dark red, that can last for up to 10 days. If you find bites like these and you have not encountered fleas in a field (which cause similar bites), it is likely that there are bed bugs in your room.
How to avoid bringing bed bugs home from your holiday
In general, even in your own city, avoid placing your belongings on the ground. When you do, as soon as you get home, remember to do so and do not place jackets and backpacks on the bed or sofa. Shake them out before going home and, if possible, wash them thoroughly. When you return from your holiday, wash everything and do not reuse anything. If possible, leave your suitcases on the balcony and wash them or wipe them down with a cloth. Open all the compartments; bed bugs are clearly visible even to the naked eye. If you notice bites on holiday that could be from bed bugs, pack your clothes in plastic bags and seal them with a rubber band or a knot, although a rubber band is better, as they can squeeze through narrow spaces. Wash everything or take your belongings to the dry cleaners and do not leave your suitcases at home. Inform the hotel that the room may be infested so that they can arrange for it to be treated if necessary.
Bed bug-proof mattress cover
The specialised bed bug-proof mattress cover prevents bed bugs from entering or leaving the mattress because it has a special fastening system. A standard zip is not suitable for containing them or preventing them from reaching the most concealed parts of the mattress. In addition to being a fitted mattress cover that wraps around the entire mattress and having a dense fabric weave, the zip fastening is also designed to be impenetrable. For more information, visit the page for the specialised bed bug-proof mattress cover.
