Bed Bug Detective
Chris Goggin created the Bed Bug Detective. The device is able to find bed bugs in a shorter amount of time  Getty Images

An 80-year-old man in Singapore has been living with bed bugs for over 20 years, AsiaOne has reported.

Over 10 volunteers spent eight hours cleaning the man's house to rid him off the parasites using chemicals and tools, such as adhesive tape and a sand chisel, one of the volunteers told AsiaOne.

Upon entering the man's house, located in Redhill, Singapore, bed bugs rained down on the volunteers as they cleaned the ceiling.

Another volunteer named Chen said there were maggots on the octogenarian's dining table which she cleaned out with hot water.

Dr. Cho, a specialist family doctor, said bed bugs do not cause illnesses but people with sensitive skins can develop an itchy rash. If the wound is scratched, the person might need to be hospitalised and given a jab.

To prevent bed bugs, Dr. Liu, a family doctor, says pillows and mattresses need to be exposed to the sun regularly and the house needs to be sprayed with insecticides.