How do lice originate

You can also put bed linens, stuffed animals and other items in a dryer for 30 minutes. Save your physical and emotional energies for screening and thorough lice and nit removal. Head lice can be spread whenever there is direct contact of the head or hair with an infested individual.

Lice can also be spread through the sharing of personal articles like hats, towels, brushes, helmets, hair ties, etc. There is also a possibility of spreading head lice via a pillow, headrest or similar items. Head lice do not jump or fly and generally cannot survive longer than 24 hours off the host. If a louse comes off the head and is left behind i. Vacuuming is recommended for any areas or items that may be in contact with those who are infested.

Swimming with someone who has lice carries no greater risk of transmission than any other activity. When lice are in water, they go into a state of suspended animation but remain firmly locked onto the hair — literally hanging on for dear life. This is how they survive shampooing, rain, seawater and swimming pools. Risk of transmission will occur with the sharing of towels, piling clothing or towels, storing personal items in close proximity or direct head to head contact.

The extent to which head lice are transmitted to others via headphones or helmets is unknown. Ideally, risk of transmission can be eliminated by making sure children have and use their own equipment. If this is not possible, you can clean the items between children by wiping them with a damp paper towel.

An additional measure would be to encourage each child to wear a baseball cap to help shield the hair from contact with the item. Helmets and headphone should never be sprayed. Most importantly — and best for the entire community — all parents should screen their children regularly. Children, like adults, do not want nits in their hair — dead or alive. The time it would take to make the distinction is time far better spent removing ALL the nits.

Finding 10 dead nits guarantees nothing for the 11th. Head lice do not come out of the air or from the ground. They are human parasites and have probably been here since the beginning of time.

Desiccated dried up head lice and their eggs nits have been found on the hair and scalps of Egyptian mummies. While many have thought head lice to be only a nuisance, recent scientific study refutes this notion. DNA technology shows head lice to be the same species as the notorious body louse which has long been associated with diseases such as typhus and relapsing fever.

The potential for disease transmission via the head louse should not be underestimated. First, one must define treatment. Share on twitter. Share on linkedin. Share on pinterest.

Share on email. Larada Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. Thank you! Phone number. Number of individuals in your household? What day works for you? How long have you been dealing with head lice?

Less than 1 month Between 1 - 3 months More than 3 months. Preferred time range ASAP 8am - 12pm 12pm - 4pm 4pm - 8pm. To live, a nymph must feed on blood. Nymphs mature into adults about 9—12 days after hatching from the nit. Adult: The fully grown and developed adult louse is about the size of a sesame seed, has six legs, and is tan to grayish-white in color.

Adult head lice may look darker in persons with dark hair than in persons with light hair. To survive, adult head lice must feed on blood. Adult female head lice are usually larger than males and can lay about six eggs each day. Head lice and head lice nits are found almost exclusively on the scalp, particularly around and behind the ears and near the neckline at the back of the head.

Head lice or head lice nits sometimes are found on the eyelashes or eyebrows but this is uncommon. Head lice hold tightly to hair with hook-like claws at the end of each of their six legs.

Head lice nits are cemented firmly to the hair shaft and can be difficult to remove even after the nymphs hatch and empty casings remain. Head-to-head contact with an already infested person is the most common way to get head lice. Head-to-head contact is common during play at school, at home, and elsewhere sports activities, playground, slumber parties, camp.

Although uncommon, head lice can be spread by sharing clothing or belongings. This happens when lice crawl, or nits attached to shed hair hatch, and get on the shared clothing or belongings. Examples include:. The diagnosis of a head lice infestation is best made by finding a live nymph or adult louse on the scalp or hair of a person.

Because nymphs and adult lice are very small, move quickly, and avoid light, they can be difficult to find. Use of a magnifying lens and a fine-toothed comb may be helpful to find live lice. Nits are often confused with other things found in the hair such as dandruff, hair spray droplets, and dirt particles.

If you are not sure if a person has head lice, the diagnosis should be made by their health care provider, local health department, or other person trained to identify live head lice. More on: Treatment. Most health departments do not require reporting of head lice infestation. However, it may be beneficial for the sake of others to share information with school nurses, parents of classmates, and others about contact with head lice. CDC is not a regulatory agency.

School head lice policies often are determined by local school boards. Head lice are obligate parasites. This means that they cannot survive without a human host. This species can live only on human hosts, so you cannot get them from your dog, cat, guinea pig, or any other kind of furry pet you may have. Body lice are slightly different from head lice because they lay their eggs on clothing instead of on the body. Body lice also live in clothing and only move onto the body to feed. Body lice can carry a number of diseases, such as:.

Pubic lice are a species of lice with large front legs, making them resemble crabs underneath a microscope. They are the smallest type of lice.

Lice infestations can happen to anyone, but they are a particular concern for school-age children. Children who live in crowded conditions may have more of a problem with head lice. There are only two ways head lice can spread from person to person. One is by direct head-to-head contact, as when children hug or put their heads together to look at the same book.

The other way is by sharing hats, caps, hair ties, scarves, or any personal item such as combs or brushes. Body lice are spread by lice living on unwashed clothing. Unlike other kinds of lice, the spread of body lice can be prevented fairly simply. Clothes should be washed often after wearing, and you should avoid sharing clothing with others.

Children that contract pubic lice may be victims of sexual abuse. There are a number of treatments that can effectively get rid of head lice. These include over-the-counter products, natural remedies, and prescription medications. However, it is important to note that there are no natural or alternative products recommended by the CDC for the treatment of lice.

Getting rid of lice completely involves three steps. No matter what kind of lice you have, the treatment process is essentially the same:.