Louse
From Halbeeg, the open encyclopedia · Af-Soomaali
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A louse (plural lice; Latin: Phthiraptera) is a small wingless arthropod that lives on the body of another animal. It is an external parasite, meaning it lives on the surface of skin, hair, or feathers and does not enter the body. Some species feed on blood, while others consume skin flakes and feathers.
Lice are tiny, usually smaller than 5 millimetres. They have six legs with claws at the ends that grip hair or feathers. They cannot jump or fly; they spread through direct contact or shared objects. Their life cycle consists of eggs (called nits), several developmental stages, and adults.
Classification
Lice are generally divided into two main groups based on their mouths. Blood-feeding lice (Anoplura) have tube-like mouths that pierce skin and live only on mammals. Chewing lice (Mallophaga, commonly called biting lice) have hard mandibles and are found mainly on birds. Each species is typically restricted to a single host species or group of closely related hosts.
Human lice
Three well-known species infest humans: head lice, body lice, and pubic lice. Head lice live in scalp hair and attach their eggs to hair shafts. Body lice inhabit clothing and emerge only to feed on blood. The main symptoms are itching and scratching, which can sometimes lead to bacterial skin infection.
Associated diseases
Head lice are not thought to transmit serious diseases. Body lice, by contrast, are known to transmit bacterial diseases such as typhus and relapsing fever. These diseases typically occur in areas with overcrowding, poor sanitation, and lack of clean water, such as refugee camps and war zones.
Control
The most common method for treating head lice is shampooing or using medicated rinses that kill the arthropods, followed by combing to remove nits. Body lice are controlled by washing or replacing clothing. Since transmission occurs through direct contact, treating all household members simultaneously reduces the chance of reinfection. Some louse populations have developed resistance to certain treatments, making treatment vary by region.