How do bedbugs get infected? - briefly
Bedbugs acquire microorganisms mainly by feeding on the blood of hosts carrying bacteria or parasites, which can colonize their digestive tract. Although they ingest pathogens, current evidence does not confirm them as effective vectors for human diseases.
How do bedbugs get infected? - in detail
Bedbugs acquire pathogens primarily through blood feeding on infected vertebrate hosts. When an adult or nymph ingests blood that contains bacteria, viruses, or protozoa, the microorganisms enter the insect’s digestive tract and may persist, multiply, or be transmitted to subsequent hosts during later feedings. Documented agents include « Bartonella », « Rickettsia », « Hepatitis B virus » and « Trypanosoma cruzi ».
Direct contact between individuals provides a secondary route. Mating, aggregation, or shared refuge can transfer microorganisms via cuticular contact or fecal deposition. Studies have demonstrated transfer of « Rickettsia » between cohabiting insects under laboratory conditions.
Vertical passage from adult females to their progeny occurs through eggs. Transovarial transmission has been observed for certain symbionts and, in limited cases, for pathogenic bacteria, enabling offspring to emerge already carrying the agents.
Environmental exposure contributes to infection risk. Contaminated bedding, furniture, or wall crevices can harbor pathogen-laden feces or desiccated bodies. Bedbugs encountering such reservoirs may acquire microbes during grooming or through ingestion of contaminated detritus.
The internal microbiome influences pathogen survival. Endosymbionts such as « Wolbachia » occupy the same gut niche and can compete with or facilitate the persistence of exogenous microbes, affecting the likelihood of transmission.
Factors shaping infection prevalence include host infection status, feeding frequency, population density, and environmental hygiene. High-density infestations with frequent blood meals from multiple hosts increase the probability of pathogen acquisition and subsequent spread.