U.S. to convene bedbug summit meeting

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 (UPI) -- Amid a growing bedbug infestation, U.S. governmental agencies will convene a National Bedbug Summit to discuss control measures, officials said.

In meetings Tuesday and Wednesday, panels will discuss bedbug initiatives, identify gaps in knowledge and consider ideas for improving control of the pests on a community-wide basis, a release from the U.S. Environmental Agency said.

Along with the EPA, the summit will include officials from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Defense, National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The national summit will be the second such gathering, after an April 2009 meeting made recommendations on research, government's role in combating bedbugs, consumer education and the responsibilities of property owners and managers.

The 2011 meeting will focus on improvements in prevention and control techniques and controlling bedbugs in structured settings such as schools and multi-family and public housing, the EPA said.