Effects of Resident Education and Self-Implementation of Integrated Pest Management Strategy for Eliminating Bed Bug Infestation in Ahvaz City, Southwestern Iran

BACKGROUND: Bed bugs as blood-sucking insects have become a public health problem in urban communities throughout the world. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of resident education and self-implementation of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategy for eliminating bed bug infestation in infected apartments in Ahvaz City, Iran. METHODS: This interventional study was conducted in seventy apartments infested with bed bug (Cimex lectularius) in Ahvaz City, southwest Iran, during a 6-month period. The bed bug infestations reported to Health centers were inspected visually and confirmed by medical entomology experts. Then, the heads of the households were received techniques/tools of the IPM program and trained by medical entomology experts before self-implementation of control methods. Finally, the infected apartments were inspected by the experts at 1, 3, and 6 months after intervention and data were recorded in a checklist. RESULTS: From the seventy infected apartments, 57%, 28% and 15% were considered as low, moderate, and high level infestation respectively. The bed bug infestation was eliminated from 53 apartments (76%) after one month and it reached to 62 apartments (88%) by the end of third month. Finally, after six months of applying IPM program, bed bugs infestation was eliminated from all infected apartments (100%). Residents expressed their 100% satisfaction with applying the bed bug IPM strategy. CONCLUSION: Training residents to implement the IPM program can reduce pest control costs, the volume of pesticides consumed, and human exposure to chemical pesticides, resulting in increased human and environmental health and safety.