A lice infestation is really a condition in which lice are present on a person’s scalp, physique (or clothes), or pubic area. It is recognized as an infestation rather than an infection merely because the parasites live on or close to the skin and outside of the body rather than in the internal organs. Lice are tiny insects that can spread from one individual to an additional through close contact; through sharing such personal objects as clothing, hats, combs, or hairbrushes; or through lying on a bed, pillow, or carpet that has been in contact with someone with lice.
The three types of lice that infest humans are somewhat various in size and outward appearance. Head lice are 1-2 millimeters lengthy, white or gray in color, and have flattened abdomens. The female louse lays her nits (eggs) close to the base of a hair shaft and attaches them to it having a sticky, glue-like substance. The glue is what makes it so challenging to remove the nits from the hair shaft. Physique or clothing lice are generally bigger than head lice, between 2 and 4 millimeters lengthy.
The physique louse lives in the seams of clothing, emerging at night to feed on the person’s body. Pubic lice are smaller and broader, about 1.2 millimeters long. They have larger front claws, which is why pubic lice are sometimes recognized as “crabs.” The claws allow pubic lice to cling to the coarse hairs in the human groin and armpit areas.
The cause of lice infestations is the presence of head, physique, or pubic lice on a person’s body or in his or her clothing. The life cycle of lice helps to explain some of the indicators and symptoms of an infestation. When the nit or egg hatches, about eight or ten days following being laid, it creates an immature louse recognized as a nymph. The nymph needs blood to survive. It has sucking mouth components on its head that can pierce the skin and draw blood to feed on.
Human lice should feed about 5 times a day to survive, otherwise they turn out to be dehydrated and die. The nymph becomes a mature adult about ten days after hatching. Its total life cycle is between thirty and thirtyfive days in length. The indicators and symptoms of a lice infestation rely on the region of the body that is affected:
The diagnosis of lice infestation is usually made by examining the skin, hair, pubic region, or clothing of the affected individual. The physician can gather nits from the hair by using a fine-toothed comb or eliminate lice from the physique with a piece of cellulose tape. The organisms can then be studied under the microscope to determine the type of lice involved. Another test that can be performed involves the use of a Wood’s lamp, which is a device that makes use of ultraviolet light to detect lice, fungal infections, and a few other kinds of skin infections. The patient is taken into a dark room while the physician shines the lamp on the region that might be infested. If lice or nits are present, they'll glow greenish-yellow.
Treatment of head lice requires washing the infested person’s clothing and bedding in hot water at 130°F (54.5°C) two days prior to treatment. Clothing that isn't washable should be dry-cleaned. Combs and brushes should be soaked in rubbing alcohol for an hour or washed in soap and hot water. These steps are necessary to lower the risk of reinfestation. Toys or other personal items may also be cleared of lice by sealing them inside a plastic bag for a minimum of two weeks; the lice will die from lack of air and food.
The treatment itself consists of applying an over-the-counter or prescription shampoo towards the scalp that contains a drug that kills lice. The product directions should be followed exactly regarding how lengthy the product should be left on the hair and regardless of whether it should be rinsed out afterward. Following the application, a fine-toothed or unique nit comb should be used to comb nits out of the hair. This combing should be repeated every two to 3 days for three weeks to make sure all the lice and nits are gone.
Retreatment with the medicated shampoo may be necessary. An additional treatment that has been found efficient in treating head lice is really a drug called Mectizan (ivermectin), which was originally developed to treat intestinal parasites. The individual needs to take only one dose of the drug. Physique lice are treated by removing all of the infested person’s clothing and either destroying or washing them in hot water followed by a minimum of twenty minutes in a dryer on the hot setting. The individual should take a shower and alter into clean clothing.
A lice-killing shampoo might be applied towards the hairy components of the person’s body. Pubic lice are treated by applying a shampoo, mousse, or lotion containing a drug called pyrethrin. These products can be purchased over the counter at a pharmacy and should be utilized exactly as directed on the container. There's also a drug known as Ovide that requires a doctor’s prescription that can also be used to treat pubic lice. Pubic lice in the eyebrows must be treated by applying a prescription ointment, as Ovide and the over-the-counter products ought to not be utilized close towards the eyes.
The prognosis for treatment of lice is very great provided care is taken afterward to stop reinfestation. Head lice and pubic lice aren't recognized to spread other diseases. Physique lice, nevertheless, are dangerous because they can transmit 3 potentially fatal illnesses: typhus, relapsing fever, and trench fever. Practicing great personal hygiene, avoiding sharing personal items with others, and prompt treatment of lice infestations are the very best ways of preventing the spread of lice.
Our website is not responsible for the information contained by this article. Articleinput.com is a free articles resource thus practically any visitor can submit an article. However if you notice any copyrighted material, please contact us and we will remove the article(s) in discussion right away.
Note: This article was sent to us by: Shayne Douston at 01252011
1. Cancer: types and treatments that fight it
All articles are property of their respective authors. Please read our Privacy Policy!
© 2009 ArticleInput.com.
Partners: Damenmode