What Are the Causes of Body Lice?
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Identification
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Body lice are tiny parasitic insects that go through three distinct stages of development. During the first stage body lice are called nits. This is the egg stage. Lice typically lay their eggs around the seams of clothing where they can easily be seen. Nits may also attach to a person's hair follicles. Nits are small, oval and range in color from yellow to white. Once the lice hatches from their egg they are called nymphs. Nymphs look like a smaller version of the adult lice. Nymphs have to feed on blood in order to survive. Adult body lice have six legs, are gray to white in color and are similar in size to a sesame seed. Body lice are typically larger than other types of lice.
Causes
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Body lice typically live on the clothing and bedding of their hosts and only move to the body in order to feed. These parasites can spread rapidly from one host body to another by direct contact with an infested person, or through contact with the infested person's belongings such as their clothes or bedding. Transmission of body lice in the United States is typically confined to homeless or transient populations who do not have regular access to sanitary facilities for bathing and washing their clothing. In many areas of the world body lice are prevalent and spread rapidly in overcrowded conditions with poor sanitation such as refugee camps and natural disaster shelters.
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Treatment
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Improving the sanitary conditions of the infested person and area is the primary way of treating body lice. Regular personal bathing, the ability to change into clean clothing at least on a weekly basis, and washing the clothing, bedding and towels in hot water is usually all that is needed to to treat body lice infestation. Occasionally treatment with a pediculicide, a medication that kills lice and scabies, is recommended.
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