HEAD LICE
Head lice are tiny, wingless insects that live in the hair on the head and feed on blood from the human scalp.
- An infestation of the head lice, referred to as pediculosis capitis is the infection of the head hair and scalp by the head louse.
- Louse is a single adult.
- The head lice are different from the lice that cause body and pubic hair infections.
- Head lice are only able to survive on human head hair. When not attached to a human, they are unable to live beyond 3 days.
- Head lice hold to the hair with hook-like claws that are found at the end of their six legs.
- Head lice infestation is very common especially in children and has been around since ancient times.
- A head lice infestation isn’t a sign of uncleanliness or poor hygiene.
- Head lice don’t carry bacterial or viral infectious disease. Generally, it is not a serious condition
- They are more common in girls than in boys and estimates range from 6-12 million cases yearly
CAUSES
A head louse is a grayish insect about the size of a sesame seed that feeds on human blood extracted from the scalp.
The louse life cycle
A louse egg (nits) are oval, 2-3mm in length and usually yellow to white in color. Nits take about 8-9 days to hatch. The nit hatches into a baby louse called a nymph. The nymph becomes a mature adult louse after 9-12 days. Adult louse can live up to 3-4 weeks on a person’s head. To live, the adult louse needs to feed on blood.
How is it transmitted?
Head louse is transmitted from one person to another by direct contact and the transmission is most often within a family or among children who have close contact at school or play.
It can also be transmitted indirectly by using infested items such as brushes, combs, towels or wearing infested clothing such as hats, scarves, barrettes, coats, sports uniforms or headband.
It can also be transmitted by lying on a bed, couch, pillow, carpet, or stuffed animal that has recently been used by an infected person. However, the risk may be very low if more than 48 hours have passed since exposure.
Who is at risk?
Preschool and elementary school students. They have the highest risk of getting head lice as they tend to play closely together and share items that touch their heads.
Family members of school-aged children
People who work in a daycare, preschool, or elementary school
SYMPTOMS
- Extreme itching on the scalp, neck, and ear
- Sores on the head from scratching
- A tickling feeling like something is crawling on your scalp
DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT
Diagnosis is made by:
- Identification of a live nymph or adult louse. This is done by combing the hair with a fine-toothed lice comb from the scalp to the end of the hair.
- Checking the hair close to the scalp for nits. This is done by using a specialized wood’s light, which causes nits to appear bluish.
Head lice are contagious, if one person in the household has them, others may too so it is a good idea to check everyone in the household for signs of head lice.
TREATMENT
There are both over-the-counter and prescription medications used in treating head lice.
It is important to treat infected person and their family member
OTC medications include permethrin (Nix) which is proved for use in people who are 2 months old or older
Prescription medications include:
- Benzyl alcohol lotion (Ulesfia) used for people 6 months old and older
- Malathion (Ovide) used for people who are 6 years old or older
- Lindane
If you don’t want to use medication, a fine-toothed lice comb may be used to remove lice. Applying olive oil before combing will help the lice and nits stick to the comb. This will need to be done every 2-3 days until there is no more sign of lice or nits.