Bed bug epidemic hits New York City

New York City is suffering from an unprecedented epidemic of blood sucking bed bugs, it has emerged.

The number of infestations has increased more than tenfold in the last three years and no neighbourhood, no matter how upmarket, is immune.

The nocturnal insects once associated with doss-houses and slums are now causing havoc in some of New York's most exclusive districts.

Multi-million dollar Central Park apartments and a Broadway theatre are among the buildings affected.

"In the last six months, I've treated maternity wards, five-star hotels, movie theatres, taxi garages, investment banks, private schools [and] white-shoe law firms," Jeff Eisenberg, owner of Pest Away Exterminating told the New York Daily News.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/12/31/wbedbug131.xml