OKLAHOMA CITY -- Residents in one southwest Oklahoma City apartment complex say they're fed up with bed bugs. It's a problem that really started growing last year, according to local health officials.

"They bite you," says Tony Upton. "It's very irritating. I mean, you just sit there and want to pull your hair out."Bed bugs feed on human blood.

Common Bed Bug

Neighbor after neighbor showed us bites on their hands, arms and legs.

Travis Morgan says he moved out because the problem was so bad.
"Because a lot of times, you couldn't sleep at night," he says, "Because you cut your light out, then you turn the light back on, they're all over you."

Resident Larry Tillman says he sprays the bugs with bleach just to get some rest.

"I spray it all around where I sleep," he says, "Every other hour, I have to get up and spray again because they eat you up."

All the residents say the apartment manager, who did not return our calls, told them they're responsible for treating bug infestations.
However, Oklahoma City municipal code says it's the landlord's responsibility.

The Oklahoma City-County Health Department can issue a fine of $250 for non compliance on each incident, following an investigation.

Bed Bug- Relative Size

Health officials say it's important for tenants who are named on the lease to file a signed complaint with the landlord in writing.
They can then file a complaint with the Oklahoma City-County Health Department.

Apartment owners are told it's more costly to do nothing.

"It's the bad publicity and people moving out of the apartments and what he's going to lose in income from rent because of the problem," says Senior Environmental Specialist Jimmy Hahn.

"I explain to them what these things can do and how fast they can multiply," says Environmental Technician Carmen Moreno. "They can very easily transfer to other rooms through the electrical cords and the walls."

Bed Bug Bites

In three visits to that apartment complex, inspectors could not confirm the existence of bed bugs.

They say the manager has not returned their recent calls.
Officials say fleas are often mistaken for bed bugs, but landlords are responsible for treating those as well.

By Peggy Gargis- Wed Mar 30, 11:19 am ET

Retreived online on 19 April 2011 from

www.news.yahoo.com

   

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (Reuters) - Nine patients in Alabama have died after receiving intravenous nutrition that authorities say was contaminated, but it was unclear whether the bacteria contributed to the deaths.

 

Alabama authorities said they were investigating an outbreak of Serratia marcescens bacteremia, a bacterial infection in the blood, in 19 patients at six hospitals in the state who all received total parenteral nutrition (TPN). 

Serratia marcescens bacteraemia

 

TPN is a nutritional solution fed to patients by injection.

 

"Of the 19 that received the substance, nine of those are no longer living ... These were very fragile individuals and it's not clear whether the bacteria contributed to their deaths," said Dr. Jim McVay, a senior official with the Alabama Department of Public Health.

 

Authorities identified bacteria first in the patients and then ran cultures on the TPN, he said.

"TPN is liquid nutrition fed through an IV using a catheter. Use of contaminated products may lead to bacterial infection of the blood," said a department statement.

 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is helping with an investigation, the department said.

 

 

"CDC's initial investigation identified TPN produced by a single pharmacy, Meds IV, as a potential common source and has determined that these hospitals received TPN from this pharmacy," the department said in a statement.  READ MORE.