Australian travellers are being urged to watch out for bedbugs during their trip, The Australian has reported.

According to research published in the Public Library of Science journal PLoS ONE, bed-bug infestations are increasing across the globe, including in North America, Europe, Australia and Eastern Asia.

The bugs are also a thousand times more resistant to common pesticides than they were a decade ago, the research claimed, while heat and cold now seem to have less of an effect on them.

Daniel Kass, New York City environmental health commissioner, commented, “People who travel should look at the rooms they’re staying in. They should check their clothing. There are good preventative measures.”

While bedbugs are often difficult to see, more obvious signs of their presence include bites on the skin and blood on the bed sheets.

Using a bright flashlight to look for them is recommended, as is using a hot hairdryer to force them out of hiding places.

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