They seem to be everywhere. In cinemas, transport, and of course homes, bed bugs also make the headlines. The psychosis, the excitement that some have denounced in recent days is nevertheless justified in fact, according to Dr Pascal Delaunay. This parasitologist and medical entomologist at Nice University Hospital, specialist in these pests, ensures that their presence is “expanding”. He pleads for “strong political will” and denounces in particular the lack of large-scale data on this phenomenon. According to this specialist, it is urgent to provide a “coherent” response so that the problem is addressed as globally as possible, particularly at the co-ownership level.
Are we facing a massive proliferation of bedbugs, according to your observations in the field?
The number of my consultations and the number of reports are increasing. The presence of bedbugs is growing, that’s obvious. If it is a psychosis, it is still linked to a reality. But the problem is that we only see each one in our little corner that it is increasing. We are all trying to obtain from the State a national collection system to understand the problem as a whole.
The Minister of Health himself is not basing himself on consolidated data when he says that there is no “general panic” to be had?
No, it must only have multi-professional feedback. And that’s without taking into account that many cases must go under the radar. There are no global data, no national figures. However, this is what the ANSES working group [Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l’alimentation, de l’environnement et du travail] of July 2023 asked.
Is it this lack of data that maintains psychosis, in your opinion?
It is maintained because it is based on a real increase. But, if we were able to do follow-ups, we could know and make it known that things can improve. All the big landlords whose homes have been affected and who have taken care of it have proof that this is a problem that can be resolved. They are also proof that, when you take the bull by the horns and overall, it is expensive at the beginning but afterwards there are enormous savings.
What are the consequences for the victims of these pests?
There are all the physical consequences, on health, of course. It’s itchy, there are dermatological disorders, but also lack of sleep and fatigue. A lot of fatigue to which are added psychological or mental difficulties. It’s happening at home. In your home which is supposed to be your security, in your bed, which is your privacy. Some are completely psychologically collapsed. For others, it is also at the financial level that it is a real problem. To get rid of bedbugs, it costs 200 to 600 euros, or even more. Not everyone has these amounts available. As a result, it also creates discordance between residents and even within the same family. It is a source of conflict.
What do you recommend?
I repeat: there must be data. And that this data does not only result in reports. Strong political will is needed. Concrete actions are needed. Many landlords have already taken action, but there are not only HLMs in France. The trustees should also take this issue head on. For the moment, we are not there. They say it’s a private problem that each resident has to deal with on their own. But, if no one does anything, after a certain time, the entire building is infested. Bedbugs, it’s clear, are a problem that grows all the time if we don’t take care of them. The solution is for this file to be orchestrated and coherent thanks to the structures of the State, which still has strong powers of data collection and communication.