The bed bug problem continues to grow worldwide, and it may have been prevented, according to the Asbury Park Press.

The war against bed bugs may have been beatable back in the 1990s when the resurgence began. However, since there wasn't enough awareness about the problem, people avoided the reality, according to the medial outlet.

"We lived in denial and maintained the stigma that it [bed bugs] only happens to other people," Richard Cooper, an entomologist and technical director of Cooper Pest Solutions in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, told the news source. "That's the kind of ignorance that allowed bed bugs to spread. Had the nation realized what it was dealing with, we probably could have nipped it."

Cooper added that now, people have to realize that these little critters can crawl into a bed, and it is important to be aware so that a person can get rid of them quickly.

According to Medline Plus, there are ways to prevent bed bugs including washing and drying linens at high temperatures in order to kill them or to purchase mattress covers, which can trap them in until professional help arrives, or it keeps the little insects at bay.