The only time i've been exposed to them was during a special multi national guard duty when in the military.I tried everything short of nuking them and they didn't die and it most likely started my death.I sprayed the bunk with military grade insecticide twice then wrapped the bed in my poncho and they still ate me alive.The worst part was the guard duty was four hours on and four hours of for ten days.In your four hours off you had to press your uniform spit shine your boots eat and sleep and feed the bed bugs.I was worn out at the end of the ten days.Anyways I just watched that show on discovery channel with the exterminators and they said it wasn't that bad to get rid of them.They said there wasn't a need to get rid of the furniture such as bedding couches excetera.They had some type of steamer that heated steam above 350 degrees and killed the bugs.Amy----"May your pen never run out of ink and your brain out of ideas"