Bed bug mystery after Italy trip

There wouldn't be a four day delay before seeing bedbug bites - they would be evident the next day. And it would be unlikely that you all would have the same delay before seeing bites. Were you in any areas with plant life (like poison ivy or another plant with toxic oils)? Perhaps you came into contact with some sort of irritant on the plane home, or picked up a virus, but I don't think it's bedbugs.

A friend of mine got bedbug bites when they were in Hawaii and had a really difficult time dealing with things once they returned home. (exterminators, getting rid of luggage--too many hiding places, etc.) Read up on what temperatures will actually kill the little bugs. I was in a hotel last summer for 4 nights and on night #3 in the same bed, we noticed the bites. Fortunately, they haven't appeared at home--although I hear they can live up to 18 months without feeding. Not to scare you--but to encourage you to gather information so that you can start this ordeal. Hopefully, you didn't bring any home!

If you had checked luggage or all of your bags shared the same overhead bin, then perhaps the bedbugs came from someones luggage on the plane and not your hotel at all? If nothing else, you might want to contact your last hotel, just to let them know, so they can check.

Since a bed bug bite is an actual bite, you would likely notice them in the morning. Bites from cleaning up the garden, after your trip, may be the best explanation. I know I picked up a couple bites, maybe chiggers or spiders, working in the yard this weekend.

Thanks for all the advice. All of us didn't take the same plane home. The only common factor is the hotel rooms. I think I will contact all of the hotels just to warn them. The good news so far is no new bites and the itching has just started to subside a little. The more I read about bed bugs and the horror stories over the last few days I'm trying hard to be intelligent about this and not go crazy.

Could it be each person got a case of chiggers from when they got home and watered plants in their yards, mowed their grass, or walked their pets? (Just trying to think of encouraging alternatives :) Late June/early July is the beginnings of chigger time here in Tennessee, don't know about DC. I did a Google search and Italy has them, too. If not familiar with chiggers, they cause small itchy red bumps (some can persist). Common around ankles and very common around especially tender, unexposed parts of the body. If it's chigger bites everyone is seeing, that would be a huge relief for you. Don't rewear socks or clothing.....just wash after outside activity.

Linda, here is a link for a more respected web site re: medical issues. This particular slide show shows various bites from various bugs. And, of course, the photos shown are "worse" cases of bites, so actual experience would probably not look as bad: http://www.webmd.com/allergies/slideshow-bad-bugs So many different domestic critters have somewhat similar bites. Hopefully the issue will just pass and you (if you are lucky) will look back on the summer of 2011 as the time of, "remember when we thought we brought home bed bugs." Wish you the better side of luck on this one.

Just put some stuff on the bites and don't scratch them.

Sounds like the common allergic reaction that many of us suffer a few days after returning home - the 'aw, crud, I'm home' reaction. I hope all of you have sufficiently recovered by now ;-)

Strange, we returned exactly one month ago from a trip to Spain, and now my wife has the exact same problem on her legs and torso. I am not having any problem, so I'm ruleing out bed bugs. Our dog and cats are currrent on their flea control, so I am wondering what this is about. I asked my wife if she washed everything that she wore on the trip. She said that the only thing that she did not clean was her cashmere sweater; so off it went to the dry cleaners(and so did every other dry cleanable item.) I scheduled the carpet cleaner, bombed the bedroom, and threw all of the bedding in the wash .....again. We'll see what happens. I might have to move her out to the barn with the horses!

Well, the itchiness of my 50 or so bites has finally started to subside. I called a pest control guy specializing in bug bites. Said there are probably too few of them - if any- in the house for him to detect. Since I've either thrown away or cleaned pretty much everything from the trip, I'm really hoping that's the end of that. I will be bringing a magnifying glass and strong flashlight to the next hotel I stay at though!

I'm with Nancy...seems quite doubtful you had bed bug bites...you would have known it without question immediately after being bitten (i.e. the next morning). There's no 3-4 day delay in reaction. Perhaps it was scabies or some other problem. Did you see a doctor?

Yes, I did see a doctor. He said they looked like bug bites, but couldn't say for certain if they were from bed bugs. He said they could also be from chiggers. He also said (and I also read this) that it is possible to have a delayed reaction, although there doesn't seem to be any one "normal" time frame. Since it happened to 3 women who live in 3 different places and took 3 different airplanes home, the source must have been in Italy. I'm just happy that the itchiness is almost completely gone and the marks are starting to recede.

But it still seems doubtful that all 3 women would have a delayed reaction. You would not all have the same unusual delay in symptoms because individual sensitivity would naturally vary. While the source may have been Italy, I don't think it could be bedbugs.

Dear Linda: Yes, it sounds like you and your travel companions have had a case of the bedbugs. And to others reading or replying: Research has shown that bites from bedbugs can take up to 10 days to appear. Each person is different. For treatment of the bites, a topical ointment can help along with an antihistamine. There are some (myself included) who have had a horrific reaction to bedbug bites. Try not to scratch them...tho it looks like I am posting this a year after your message. I hope your home was not infected with the bugs. They are easily transported from one location to the next. Good luck, Sandi
**this post has been edited to include my name...Much thanks to Nancy for sending me a private message to let me know "internet names" are not used on this site. I apologize and hope future visitors find the update information on bedbugs helpful. There are also excellent video's on youtube detailing how to search for signs of bedbugs while traveling.

Here is an excellent article about bedbugs, the time frame, how to search for them and how to treat yourself and your home. http://www.findingtheuniverse.com/2012/03/dealing-with-bed-bugs-as-traveller.html

I know these are old posts but I just ran across them. Did anyone think about hot tubs? There is a bacterial infection called hot tub folliculitis one can get from hot tubs that aren't properly sanitized. The break outs will be anywhere that touched the affected surface such as back and legs and lower torso region. I am leaving for Italy in 3weeks and am concerned about these bed bug horror stories I have been seeing on hotel reviews! But my husband and his entire softball team ended up with the hot tub thing a few years ago after staying in a rented condo in the Colorado mountains. EEEWWW! Is all I can say about either issue!

beauty

as you say, this thread is 3 years old.

Can I suggest that you start your own thread so that people can answer you not some person who posted it 3 years ago. You can mention about a hot tub there too....

I'm very glad to see recent comments on this thread. My 16 year old son just returned from a trip to Europe with a group of students from his high school (London, Paris, Florence, Rome). While in Florence he noticed a few tiny bumps on his hand. He's been home 3 days and he now has several patches of itchy, red bumps. These are on the back of his hand, around his waistband, on his lower legs, elbows, and even some near his forehead. But he also was feeling lousy when he got home, with a sore throat and slight fever. Now he feels better but the itching is making him crazy. His pediatrician had no clue, maybe a virus, and a dermatology consult said it was probably some kind of bug bite, but couldn't say what kind. Maybe bedbugs, so naturally I freaked out, but after calming down slightly I emptied out all the clothes from his suitcase, shook out every single piece and found nothing, and there are no bugs or droppings (or blood spots) on his bed or mattress. It reminded me of chiggers except for the odd locations. It almost had to have been something in the hotel bed, or maybe on their bus, because of where the bumps are. He is so miserable, but I'm somewhat relieved to read that other people have experienced the same thing (AND got over it AND it wasn't always bedbugs!). If anyone is still around from a few years ago: did you ever find out if it was really bedbugs or what it actually was?

I just returned from Florence yesterday. On my last day there I woke up with several little red marks on my face. I did not see any trace of bed bugs and my roommate did not have bites or red marks. As of today I have bee3n home for only one day and more red marks have appeared. As I research online I see that generally bed bugs bite in a row and that is what it looks like on my face. Very itchy as well. I left my luggage in the garage and will leave it there for a week or so. Washing my clothes in batches.