PEDICULOSIS humanus capitus
HEAD LOUSE
HISTORY OF THE HEAD LOUSE
Head lice taken from 1000 yr. old Peruvian mummies were nearly identical genetically to strains found around the world.
Attack the clean and unclean with equal zest
Attack the rich and poor and almost all races
Head Lice: What Are They?
Head lice are ectoparasites – living on the exterior of another organism, a human being.Head lice are host specific parasites so they do not live on pets.Lice feed on human blood and will die within 24 - 48 hours if they have fallen off the human hair.
EGGS (NITS) OF HEAD LOUSE
Laid by adult female
Cemented TO HAIR at base of hair shaft
Oval in shape and yellow to white in color
Take one week to hatch (6-9 days)
NYMPH
SIZE OF A PINHEAD
MOLTS THREE TIMES
BECOMES ADULT ABOUT 7 DAYS AFTER HATCHING.
ADULT LOUSE
SIZE OF A SESAME SEED OR LARGER
HAS SIX LEGS
TAN, GREYISH WHITE, OR BROWN
FEMALE LAYS 8 NITS PER DAY
LIVES 30 DAYS ON HOST
FEEDS ON BLOOD SEVERAL TIMES DAILY
WITHOUT BLOOD, DIES IN 1 - 2 DAYS
SPREAD OF HEAD LICE
HEAD TO HEAD CONTACT WITH INFESTED PERSON
DIRECT CONTACT WITH PERSONAL ITEM OF
INFESTED PERSON SUCH AS HAT, COMB, BRUSH, PILLOW
HUMAN LICE DO NOT OCCUR ON PETS
DO NOT HAVE WINGS AND CANNOT JUMP
GIRLS MORE THAN BOYS
SYMPTOMS
FEELING SOMETHING MOVING IN HAIR
ITCHING
SCRATCHING
IRRITABILITY
DIAGNOSIS
COMMONLY FOUND IN THESE AREAS
TREATMENT OF PERSON
USE OVER THE COUNTER OR PRESCRIPTION TREATMENT
FOLLOW DIRECTIONS PRECISELY
DO NOT TREAT MORE OFTEN THAN RECOMMENDED
