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LICE
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General Information
Throughout time, lice, particularly head lice, have been a common reoccurring problem, especially in schools. Millions of American school children may encounter head lice during the school year. Head louse infestations throughout the United States affect people on all social and economic levels. Schools are not the only culprits, either. Consider all the places that children gather together, such as, daycare centers, church nurseries, skating rinks, other friend’s homes, sleepovers, camp grounds, etc.
Lice or their eggs are easily transmitted from person to person on shared hats, coats, scarves, combs, brushes, towels, bedding, upholstered seats in public places, and by personal contact. Sharing these articles is common among young school-age children (and just as much with Middle and High Schoolers, this day and age.) As a result, head lice infestations are most prevalent among children, whereas body and pubic (crab) lice are more frequently encountered among young adults and middle-aged persons. When someone becomes infested with lice, it is likely that the entire family will become infested.
A human louse infestation, called pediculosis, can spread rapidly and may reach epidemic proportions if left unchecked. In a group of people, such factors as age, race, crowding at home, family size, and method of closeting clothes influence the course and distribution of the disease. The length of the hair does not appear to be a significant factor. And…the cleaner the hair, the more likely the head to be infested! Go figure!!
It is thought that “body lice” evolved from head lice after mankind began wearing clothes.
Kinds of Lice
Three types of lice infest humans: the body louse, the head louse and the crab louse (or public louse). Head lice and body lice are morphologically indistinguishable, although head lice are smaller than body lice. Head lice and pubic lice are highly dependent upon human body warmth and it used to be that they would die if separated from their host for 24 hours, BUT THAT IS NO LONGER THE CASE. The new generation of Head Lice are now dubbed “Super Lice” and this IS NO LONGER THE CASE! Body lice are hardier since they live on clothing and can survive if separated from human contact for up to a week without feeding.
Life Cycle
Head lice live for approximately 40–50 days and go through 3 stages in their life cycle:
Egg Stage
The female louse lays the egg with a special glue that cements it to the hair shaft near the root. The lice egg develops and hatches approximately 10 days later.
Nymph Stage
Once the louse hatches, it is called a nymph and is barely visible to the naked eye. The nymph cannot reproduce because it is not fully developed. After about 12 days, it becomes an adult.
Adult Stage
The female adult louse can lay up to 10 eggs per a day—starting another generation of lice. The adult stage lasts about 30 days.Lice cannot live longer than 2 days if they are separated from the head.
The body louse and pubic louse are blood-sucking insects. These insects bite into the skin of human hosts and take a blood meal much like fleas and mosquitoes.
The body louse usually resides within the clothing of its host (most commonly as an adult) and comes into contact with the skin only to feed. The female body louse lays its eggs in the seams and folds of clothing. These eggs (nits) then hatch within about a week to 10 days. The young body lice (nymphs) then grow and molt three times over another week or so before becoming mature adults approximately 1/8 inch in length. A mature body louse might live up to 10 days. A female body louse might lay over 200 eggs during this period. The eggs of lice are very small — less than 1/16 inch long — and are typically white to yellowish-brown.
The pubic louse is most often associated with the pubic region of its host, where it clings to pubic hairs with highly modified claws. For this reason, it is commonly referred to as “Crabs”. The female pubic louse lays its eggs attached to the base of pubic hairs near the skin surface. A pubic louse egg will hatch within six to eight days. After 15 to 16 days and three molts, an adult pubic louse will emerge. A female pubic louse may lay up to 90 eggs during its lifetime, which lasts about 12 days.
Where to Look for Lice
The most common head lice symptom is itching. If you notice your child scratching his or her head often, especially behind the ears or at the nape of the neck, check for lice. Usually lice can be found in these areas. Also, do frequent checks when you know of a lice outbreak in your child’s school.
Examine the head under bright, natural light. Head lice may be hard to detect because they move quickly and are very small.You may wish to use a magnifying glass to more easily see the lice. Part the hair and closely examine the scalp, especially the nape of the neck and behind the ears.Newly laid eggs are almost transparent. It is helpful to examine the head from different angles of light.
*CAUTION*
Many doctors today are still recommending a know carcinogen called “Lindane” as a treatment for head lice. AS A CERTIFIED PEST CONTROL OPERATOR AND A MOTHER/GRANDMOTHER, I URGE YOU TO NOT USE THIS PRODUCT ON YOUR CHILDREN OR YOURSELF!! We carry SAFE alternatives for scalp application that literally suffocate the lice to death and help break down the glue that attaches the nits to the hair shaft. We also carry SAFE products for treating your home and car, which definitely need to be treated. Trust me on this, please! Old school facts about head lice are not up-to-date and can either cause harm to your precious little ones, or waste your time and money by not treating all the areas that todays “Super Lice” require.