HONESDALE, PA — The scope and severity of a local bedbug epidemic was made apparent to the Honesdale Borough Council at its February 10 meeting. Armed with visual aids that included photographs of bedbug bites, as well as a bedbug specimen in a plastic vial, citizen Gerald Beltran educated council members about the plight of bedbug victims.

“I had no idea,” Borough Council President James Brennan repeated four times. “Until this afternoon, when zoning and code enforcement officer Dan Hnatko told me about it, I was completely unaware that we had this problem in Honesdale. The only thing I know about bedbugs is what my grandmother told me—to sleep tight and not let them bite.” Hnatko amplified concerns described by Beltran and clarified the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) stance with regard to the epidemic. DOH has, in effect, washed its hands of the bedbug epidemic. Because bedbugs do not carry disease or parasites that cause disease, they are not classified as vermin and, consequently, not considered a threat to life or health.

But, as both Hnatko and Beltran explained to the council, that is not the full story. At a minimum, bedbug bites cause sleep disruption and acute itching. Left untreated, the bites can lead to severe, chronic skin inflammation and infection. Chronic sleep disruption is known to cause mental and behavioral disorders and is suspected as an underlying cause in a number of life-threatening conditions, from heart disease to cancer. Beyond those physical health concerns, however, is the well-documented mental anguish that comes of the social stigma associated with bedbug infestation.

The council was informed that no one is immune to infestation. Visits with those infested, whether in their own homes or elsewhere, can lead to secondary infestation. This fact alone causes bedbug victims to suffer isolation from family, friends, and neighbors—even from those health professionals whose help they seek. One incident described by Beltran involved a local psychiatrist who refused to treat a patient known to have a home infestation.

Another citizen noted that infestation often spreads via upholstered furniture. Infested furniture left curbside for bulk item pickup is sometimes intercepted by unsuspecting neighbors looking for free furniture. More frequent bulk item pickup was suggested as one means of alleviating the problem.

Hnatko and Beltran requested that the council take appropriate action to assist those with bedbug infestations, pointing out that low-income victims often find the cost of effective extermination prohibitive. In any case, when one unit in a multi-dwelling building becomes infested, the entire building must be exterminated, to prevent bugs from finding safe haven in another apartment. At the conclusion of Hnatko and Beltran’s joint presentation, the council pledged to help bedbug victims obtain needed services and to do all in its power to contain the epidemic.

Council member Carolyn Lorent initiated a motion to hold a special meeting, on March 31 at 7 p.m., for the public to air concerns about anything of which the council should be aware. The motion passed, and Brennan announced that the meeting will be publicly advertised and held in the borough council meeting room at 958 Main St. in Honesdale, unless otherwise noted.