Hotel guests have sued two Las Vegas Strip resorts after they say their rooms were infested with bedbugs.
Courtney and Stephen Gully of Illinois and Briana McKenzie of Washington state filed lawsuits against the Luxor hotel, while Teresa Bruce of California sued the Treasure Island hotel last month, according to Clark County District Court records obtained by KSNV-TV.
According to the filings, the plaintiffs alleged that they noticed both itchy and painful bites during their stays at the hotels. Once they told hotel personnel, they confirmed the existence of bedbugs in their rooms.
Neither MGM Resorts, which operates Luxor, nor Treasure Island immediately responded to USA TODAY's request for comment on Friday.
Hospital visits and doctors
The Gullys' lawsuit says that Courtney Gully needed to be taken to a hospital by an ambulance after she suffered a reaction from being bitten by the bedbugs in the hotel. According to the suit, the Luxor refunded the resort fee with "further compensation" provided.
As for Bruce's suit, the lawsuit said that after the hotel offered her a new room, she suffered more bites as there was another bedbug infestation in the new room, KSNV-TV reported. The lawsuit says that she "was again provided a card to follow up and told there was a pharmacy downstairs where she could get some cream. No further action was taken."
Courtney Gully, McKenzie, and Bruce all had to receive further medical treatment due to bedbugs once they returned home, the station reported. The lawsuits are asking for over $30,000 for each plaintiff for expenses and charges.
How can I find a bed bug?
A particularly small insect, the best time to look for a bed bug is at night, since during the day the bugs hide in cracks and crevices and only come out at night to feed, according to the health department. Therefore, before looking, it is recommended to turn off all lights and close the shades.
Then, turn on a flashlight to check for the bugs. They can be found on the bed, but also under the creases of mattresses.
Bedbugs also aren't known to spread disease, but they do inject a small amount of saliva into the skin while feeding, which can cause an allergic reaction, the health department said.
What do I do if I find bedbugs?
If you find bed bugs or any sign of them, like their feces, document what you've found in photos and video and contact your hotel or rental host immediately.
According to the Southern Nevada Health District, other ways to get rid of or prevent bed bugs include: Leaving bagged luggage for several hours in a closed vehicle when the full summer sun is out may kill bed bugs and eggs and scrubbing and vacuuming out suitcases thoroughly following inspection.
Things like reducing clutter, thoroughly cleaning rooms, moving around furniture, encasing mattresses and box springs with special mattress bags and filling cracks can all help get rid of and reduce bedbugs, the health department said.
Contributing: Anthony Robledo and Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY