The real physical and emotional toll
Bed bugs are a health and safety concern. While they are not known to spread disease to people, their bites cause itching, allergic reactions, and skin infections from scratching — and living with them often causes lost sleep, stress, and anxiety.
For most people, the harm from bed bugs is a mix of physical and emotional. Bites can be intensely itchy and, when scratched, can become infected. Some people have stronger allergic reactions than others. Beyond the bites, the constant worry and disrupted sleep of an active infestation take a real toll, which health experts and courts recognize as genuine harm.
This is general information, not medical advice — see a doctor about bites or reactions. Because the effects can be significant, a serious bed bug infestation is treated as more than a nuisance. If bed bugs are affecting your household and your landlord will not act, a free review can explain your options.
This is general information about California tenant rights, not legal advice. Every situation is different.