Efficacy of plant-based products and nonconventional pesticides for the management of tropical bed bug.

Insecticide resistance is widespread in global bed bug populations. Both common bed bugs and tropical bed bugs are pyrethroid-resistant among most field populations. Plant-based products and nonconventional pesticides offer minimal-risk strategies for managing bed bug resistance, but this strategy has yet to be formally evaluated in Cimex hemipterus (F.) (Hemiptera: Cimicidae). Here, several commercial plant-based formulations (Cedarcide, EcoRaider (also known as EcoVenger), EcoSMART, and Bio-D), a novel product, Provecta, and a pyrethroid insecticide, Pesguard FG161 were tested against pyrethroid-susceptible and resistant strains of C. hemipterus using direct spray, residual exposure, and egg dipping assays. Direct spray treatments outperform residual applications against all tested bed bug strains. Cedarcide exhibits the highest consistency in eliminating bed bugs, followed by EcoRaider, EcoSMART, and Provecta that outperform Bio-D and Pesguard FG161. In comparison to Pesguard FG161, all plant-based insecticide products and Provecta showed higher efficacy against pyrethroid-resistant strains. Although effective, product efficacy varies in terms of speed. Cedarcide kills all bed bugs within 1 min after spraying; however, other products can take up to 9 days to achieve 100% mortality. The efficacy of all products was reduced when evaluated on fabric surface (42%-65% mortality). Cedarcide and EcoRaider reduced egg hatchability by 37%-73% and 47%-70%, respectively. This study suggests that certain plant-based insecticides and an unconventional insecticide can serve as alternative direct spray treatments for managing tropical bed bugs, though their residual effects are limited.

Perception, attitudes, and knowledge on infestation and management of bed bugs in major cities of Indonesia: A cross-sectional online survey.

The resurgence of bed bugs is a global phenomenon, but until now reports on bed bug infestations in Indonesia are rare. The success of bed bug control is affected by people's knowledge and awareness. Stigma against bed bugs in Indonesia discourages the public from reporting infestations and therefore knowledge of their impact on public health is scarce. Herein, this study investigates the public's perception, attitudes, and knowledge on bed bug-related issues in several major cities in Indonesia through an online survey. Despite low case reports, three in five respondents (n = 600) have encountered bed bugs at least once; mostly in their homes (74.1%). Approximately half of the respondents correctly identified bed bugs, whereas mites were often misidentified for bed bugs (26.3%). Bite marks were not a useful indicator for detecting bed bugs. We found age, gender, and level of education affects the public's perception toward various bed bug-related issues. Regarding bed bug treatment, above 50% respondents are unaware of the availability of bed bug-specific insecticidal products and are unwilling to pay pest management professionals to control infestation. This study provides the first overview of the public's awareness and perception of bed bug infestations in some major cities of Indonesia, which can be useful for designing public health policies for bed bug management. The reported data represents the perspectives of online users, most likely from metropolitan regions. A bigger monitoring program encompassing pest professionals and hospitality businesses would give a more thorough overview of the bed bug impact in Indonesia.