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Bed bugs make excellent hitchhikers, so check baggage before returning home from a trip. (Courtesy Erie.gov)

WASHINGTON - Yet again, D.C. ranks high among cities that leave its visitors with a souvenir they'd rather forget.

A new Terminix survey lists D.C. as the sixth-most bed bug-infested city in America. This marks a decline from a previous commercial study that put the District at No. 8.

The City of Brotherly Love took top honors, with Cincinnati and the Big Apple right behind.

The list was created using information from 300 Terminix branches throughout the country. The extermination company then ranked cities based on calls from customers and confirmed reports by their exterminators, according to PRNewswire.

Check out the top 10:

1. Philadelphia 2. Cincinnati 3. New York City 4. Chicago 5. Detroit 6. Washington, D.C. 7. Columbus, Ohio 8. San Francisco 9. Denver 10. New Haven, Conn.

These standings show bed bugs continue their reign as scourge of the American public, with five new cities in the top 15 this year: Cleveland, Houston, Indianapolis, Miami and New Haven, Conn.

D.C. was among five other cities that have seen a growing population of the bloodsuckers, along with Columbus, Dallas, Philadelphia and San Francisco. the District was ranked seventh in 2011.

The prevalence of bed bugs has increased as much as 500 percent in the last decade, according to a study from Ohio State University, whose home state has three cities with the worst incidence of the problem pests.

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Study: D.C. bed bug problem increasingly worse

Bad news for all your nocturnal hours. There's a new study out ranking U.S. cities based on bed bug populations, and D.C. has moved up the chart in just a few short months.

In March, D.C. had the nation's eighth-highest population of bed bugs, according to a study by Orkin, the pest extermination company. But now, WTOP reports, D.C. has climbed to No. 6.

This is just more unsettling news about creepy crawlies wriggling their way around our mattresses and bedding while we slumber. Last month, it was reported that in addition to being increasingly common in apartment buildings, bed bugs are also squirming their way into the Washington area's single-family homes.

The study released today, compiled from information obtained by Terminix, puts D.C. in a group of six cities where the bed bug population is on an observable upswing. Philadelphia is No. 1, followed by Cincinnati, New York, Chicago and Detroit.

And the study comes with yet another reminder that while they don't carry any known diseases, bed bugs are tough to stamp out, WTOP reports:

"Bedbugs are among the most difficult and expensive urban pests to control. It typically takes a professional to do it right," says Susan Jones, an urban entomologist with the university's Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center and a household and structural pest specialist.

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Statistic You Probably Didn't Want to Hear: More Bed Bugs in D.C.

Bed Bugs (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

By Jim Melwert

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) Start scratching! Philadelphia has overtaken New York City to be named the most bed-bug infested city.

New York held the top spot for the past two years, but Philadelphia takes the top spot in the annual ranking, put together by pest control company Terminix.

Several cities join Philadelphia with growing bed bug populations, including Miami, Houston, Dallas, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.

The company warns the problem will likely grow as summer travelers encounter bed bugs in hotels, airports, and public transportation.

Hope Mikell from West Philly says, when she travels, not only does she check for bed bugs, she comes prepared. Yes, always, Lysol and Clorox, that helps. And, a blow dryer. Put it on high, the heat, go across the mattress.

Some more advice for travelers: check hotel headboards and the folds in mattresses for bed bugs or dark spots.

When youre in a hotel, hang up all your clothes, never use drawers, never lay anything on the bed and never throw anything on the floor.

And, keep your suitcase on the luggage rack up off the floor, as far from the bed as possible.

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Start Scratching! Pest Control Company Names Philadelphia Most Bed Bug Infested City

CINCINNATI, OH (FOX19) -

A new report shows that Cincinnati may no longer be the bed bug capital of America, but that doesn't mean it's stillnot a major problem.

In the report release by Terminix Cincinnati ranks 2nd on the bed bug list. The list was created by compiling data from 300 Terminix branches from across the country.

In fact Ohio'sthree major cities made the list. Cleveland is 15th, Columbus comes in at number 7.

One through six is Philadelphia, Cincinnati, New York City, Chicago, Detroit and Washington, D.C.

Dr. Gene Kritsky is an Entomologist with Mount St. Joseph College who says today's mobile society contributes to the bed bug problem. "We're within a days drive of 61 percent of the United States' population. People can drive in and out of Cincinnati. We've got wonderful attractions that bring people in and that has contributed to the movement of bed bugs into the area....and it's also what drives the bed bugs going into Philadelphia and New York and other metropolitan areas as well," said Kritsky.

Kurt Scherzinger with Scherzinger Pest Control in Evandale says he's seeing more and moreservice calls for bed bugs."About five, seven years ago we were doing about a handful of bed bug jobs a year. Just last year we went over 1,200 bed bug jobs and we're on pace to beat that this year," he said.

Greg Kesterman, Assistant Health Commissioner with the Hamilton County Health Department says there are more reports of bed bugs because of better public education."I think maybe it's just that its getting reported very well here. Our agency has a very pro-active response, we're very pro-active at getting educational messages out there and teaching people about bed bugs and the first thing we teach them is if you have the problem you have to tell somebody to get rid of them," said Kesterman.

Scherzinger says not everyone around the globe worries about bed bugs and he says that's causing some concern as the city prepares to host the World Choir Games. "The big fear especially that we're getting feedback from the hotel community is not necessarily what's going to be there now, but what's going to show up when all these people from various countries show up to our city and what's going to be left inside those hotels when it's all said and done," said Scherzinger.

Experts says 24 percent of hotels and motels in this country have had a bed bug problem at one time or another, but at any given moment less than one percent of rooms are infested.

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Mobile society contributes to Cincinnati's bed bug program

MEMPHIS, TN (FOX19) -

A new report shows Cincinnati is the second-most bed bug infested city in America.

The report was released Tuesday by Terminix.

Philadelphia took the top spot this year, taking it from New York city, which held it for two years.

Cincinnati ranked second on the listed, followed by New York, Chicago, Detroit, Washington, D.C., Columbus, Ohio, San Francisco, Denver and New Haven, Conn.

The list was created by compiling data from the 300 Terminix branches across the country. The company created the ranking by evaluating service calls from customers, as well as confirmed cases by service professionals.

Ohio continues to be a hotbed of activity, with three of its cities making the top 15. Cleveland ranked 15th.

"Bedbugs continue to increase their presence across the U.S.," said Stoy Hedges, an entomologist with Terminix. "While major metropolitan areas are most at risk, it is important to note that bedbugs have been spotted in cities and towns across the country."

As travelers prepare to hit the road this summer, Terminix offers tips to slow the spread of bedbugs:

Copyright 2012 WXIX. All rights reserved.

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Cincinnati ranks #2 for bed bugs