Bedbugs take on public transportation

Far from making people smile, cruel little bugs are beginning to seriously concern public services and transportation professionals.

Once a nightmare for students during their stays at youth hostels and other accommodations, bed bugs have now invaded cities and our daily lives. The insect was considered almost eradicated in the late 1990s thanks to an intense awareness campaign. Unfortunately, according to the latest report from the National Food Safety and Health Agency (ANSES), published on July 3, 2023, bed bugs are indeed back, and 11% of French households have been victims between 2017 and 2022.

Paris submerged

Since the beginning of the year, cases have been reported in places previously unaffected, such as cinemas and national trains, TGVs leading the way. This week, a driver on the Paris metro line 8 reported the presence of bed bugs even in his cabin. While RATP assures that “to date, no confirmed cases have been observed in vehicles, metro, RER, tramway, and buses”, numerous reports, photos to support, on social media leave no room for doubt. Paris has fallen.

If these suspicions were not enough, the Paris City Hall implicitly acknowledged the infestation by calling for an emergency plan from the government. “Bed bugs are a public health issue and must be declared as such. The state must urgently bring together all concerned stakeholders to deploy an action plan commensurate with this scourge as France prepares to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2024,” wrote Emmanuel Grégoire, first deputy to Anne Hidalgo, in an open letter to Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne. He also confirmed the proliferation on social media: “In the face of the bed bug scourge, action must be taken!”

Do you feel that gentle scent of panic amid a proliferation that everyone wants to pretend doesn’t exist? In Paris, it’s well known: when there’s a problem, it’s someone else’s fault. The rats are still laughing about it…

How to act against bed bugs

The Paris transportation authority has already declared that any suspicion of pest presence will be treated with insecticides, and that such treatments are already regularly performed against cockroaches and ants. But wanting is not enough; ability is required. With more than 500 trains in operation and a constant flow of passengers facilitating proliferation, insecticide is like a bandage on a wooden leg. The fight will be long and fierce, especially with the arrival of cold weather, which drives the bugs to seek refuge warmly in textile folds.

As for us, users of these public transports, caution is essential. Wrapping belongings in plastic bags is a good way to avoid bringing home some specimens when getting off the train or leaving the cinema. Inspecting clothes before returning home is also a priority.

Finally, in case of doubt, immediately isolate all clothing and potentially contaminated belongings and wash everything at at least 60°C.