Bed bug exterminators at work. — © Kris Van Exel
In France, 206 people have been poisoned by using a banned product to combat bed bugs. This is confirmed by the French Agency for Food, Environment, Safety and Health at Work (ANSES). The agency warns that people who use the product are at risk of poisoning themselves.
The Agency has discovered the product Sniper 1000 EC DDVP. It is an illegal insecticide that has been banned since 2013. Between January 2018 and June this year, 206 people have already been affected by poisoning. If you come into contact with the product or swallow it, it can make you sick. It can even kill you if you inhale it, the French agency says.
Several messages about bed bugs circulated on social media last summer. Cinemas, public transport and other locations in France were affected by the parasitic insects.
ANSES reports that the animals have become more widespread in recent years. Between 2017 and 2022, around 11 percent of all French households were affected.
Bed bugs bite humans and warm-blooded animals and feed on blood. This leads to itchy bites. The parasitic insects are reddish brown in color and do not grow larger than 8.5 millimeters. They often hide in beds, luggage and clothing. Bed bugs are best controlled with heat, steam or freezing. As a last resort, professional help can be sought.