Ohio Dominican Dealing With Bed Bugs In Dorms

Wednesday April 20, 2011 5:20 PM
UPDATED: Thursday April 21, 2011 6:02 PM
The residents of a dormitory at Ohio Dominican University were getting a crash course in bed bugs on Wednesday.

In central Ohio, the bed bug problem is growing more common every day, 10TV's Glenn McEntyre reported.

The residents of Lynam Hall and Siena Hall have already seen the pests. The parasitic bug has been an ongoing problem for the university this year, and in October and November the school treated separate cases in those two halls.

The current outbreak is in Fitzpatrick Hall, McEntyre reported.

"It's just the thought of bugs in your bed. it's not pleasant at all," said sophomore Danny Desch. He  does not live in Fitzpatrick Hall, but has friends who do.

"It's something we try to joke about just to make it a little bit of a lighter subject," Desch said. "Don't bring bed bugs to my room! It's just not something I really want to deal with right now."

Even though the outbreaks have been isolated to just a few rooms, the university is taking the problem seriously. 

SPECIAL SECTION: Health | SLIDESHOW: Images Of Bed Bugs

"We're working with professional companies, we've worked with the Central Ohio Task Force, we've had bedbug sniffing dogs out here proactively, just to get a look and see if we had any issues here on campus," said ODU spokesman Jamie Caridi.

Part of the university's efforts are focused on education, and addressing the stigma surrounding the pests.

"Bed bugs are not related to bad hygiene," Caridi said. "So you can have the cleanliest of environments, whether it's an apartment, a home, or a campus, and to some respects, that doesn't matter."

The school said it plans to take advantage of the Easter break to treat the building.

Watch 10TV News HD and refresh 10TV.com for additional information.  

More Information:

Previous Stories:

April 15, 2011: Dog Helps Sniff Out Bed Bugs
April 7, 2011: Ohio Lawmakers Seek OK To Use Bedbug Pesticide
February 17, 2011: Central Ohio Bed Bug Problem Getting Worse
September 13, 2010: Grove City Motel Cited For Bed Bugs
August 23, 2010: Northeast Side Hotel Battling Bed Bugs
June 15, 2010: EPA Ruling Could Limit Pesticide Used To Fight Bed Bugs
February 22, 2010: Bed Bug Infestations Rising, Affecting All Areas

  • Bed bugs have been found in every ZIP code in central Ohio.
Slideshow: Bed Bugs | February 22, 2010
Slideshow: Bed Bugs | February 22, 2010

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