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The head louse (Pediculus humanus capitis) is an obligate ectoparasite of humans. [1] Head lice are wingless insects that spend their entire lives on the human scalp and feed exclusively on human blood. [1] Humans are the only known hosts of this specific parasite, while chimpanzees and bonobos host a closely related species, Pediculus schaeffi.
Female lice are usually more common than males, and some species are parthenogenetic, with young developing from unfertilized eggs. A louse's egg is commonly called a nit. Many lice attach their eggs to their hosts' hair with specialized saliva; the saliva/hair bond is very
The location of the body louse eggs differs from that of head louse eggs. The head louse will lay eggs on hair roots, whereas a body louse will lay eggs in articles of clothing. This picture represents the louse from egg to adult and the process of going through three molts to achieve adulthood. The two P. humanus subspecies are morphologically ...
Head lice are spread through direct head-to-head contact with an infested person. From each egg or "nit" may hatch one nymph that will grow and develop to the adult louse. Lice feed on blood once or more often each day by piercing the skin with their tiny needle-like mouthparts.
head-to-head contact Body louse – Pediculosis Pediculus humanus humanus: skin visual identification under magnification (Vagabond's disease) common worldwide skin-to-skin contact such as sexual activity and via sharing clothing or bedding Crab louse –Phthiriasis: Pthirus pubis: pubic area, eyelashes visual identification under magnification
Pubic lice nits take about 6–10 days to hatch. The nymph is an immature louse that hatches from the nit (egg). A nymph looks like an adult pubic louse but it is smaller. Pubic lice nymphs take about 2–3 weeks after hatching to mature into adults capable of reproducing. To live, a nymph must feed on blood. The adult pubic louse resembles a ...
A temperature of 130 °F (54 °C) for 5 minutes will kill most of the adults and prevent eggs from hatching. [7] Leaving the clothes unwashed, but unworn for a full week, also results in the death of lice and eggs. [5] Where this is not practical or possible, powder dusting with 10% DDT, 1% malathion or 1% permethrin is also effective. [5]
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