Lice! This is one crawling insect that we are conversant with, as it can be found on animals as well as on humans. There are two types of lice that infest humans commonly, and they are head lice and body lice. The head lice are known as Pediculus humanus capitis while the body louse is known as Pediculus Humanus Corporis. These two types of lice aren't the only types of lice that affect humans, the pubic lice (Pthirus pubis) also infest humans. Lice are ectoparasite, meaning that they live outside of your body. There are over 530 species of lice parasitizing different mammals and over 5000 species of lice in total. Lice live for only about 30 days on average and in this short period of time, they eat, mate, and reproduce.
Head lice can be found on the head of a person with no regard to status, it is very common in kindergarten centers and daycares for children because children are used to playing with sand and other dirt, and they can transfer lice to their heads which can then be transferred to one another when playing. Head lice grasp the shaft of their host hair to hold firm to their host, they feed on blood, and in other to do so they insert their proboscis into the scalp of their hosts. They stay on the shaft to mate and the females lay eggs known as nits. The nits are visible in the hair shaft and they hatch between day 8 and 9. The Nymphs grab the hair shafts in the head. There were myths that said that it could be transferred from hats and caps of people who have the insect but in reality, it is from direct contact. In diagnosing this, the wet combing tecgnique is used to detect the lice. The wet combing can help to remove nits and adult lice. The use of permethrin cream on the scalp will help remove the lice. Malathion lotion and ivermectin can be used to treat. A disease transmitted by head lice is yet to be found from investigation.
When a person is infested with these lice, they become uncomfortable. The body lice is responsible for causing Epidemic typhus which many soldiers in Napoleon's Grand Army during its retreat from Russia. Body lice do not live on the body unlike the head lice, they live on cloths. Head lice and body lice look alike in physical appearance but their biology are different. Body lice stay on clothes of hosts rather than on the body. They feed on the body but live on cloths therefore, transmission would be by sharing clothing. This is common with people who are homeless but that doesn't mean it cannot be transmitted to people who aren't homeless, it just has to do with charing clothes or having your cloth put together with cloths that have lice infestation. Body lice has been associated with typhus, trench fever, and louse-born relapsing fever.
Treatment of body lice would be thorough bath, washing og cloths with water over 65 degree celcius, using permethrin cream on the body so the lice come in contact with it when they come to feed.
Pubic lice have a crab-like appearance and it is different from the body and head lice. It is clings to the thickest hairs found the pubic region as well as in mustaches, and eyebrows. It is basically a sexually transmitted infestation but can be treated using wet combing, the use of pediculicides, permethrin, piperonyl butoxide, and Ivermectin.
