ABSTRACT
Lice are wingless, blood-sucking insects that infest both mammals and birds. They are classified as ectoparasites because their life cycle occurs on the host. Head lice have been plaquing humans for thousands of years. Lice were prevalent in both Central and South America in the pre-Columbian era. Diagnosis may be established by examining the patient for the presence of nits, lice, and the distribution of lesions. It is recommended that in treatment the pediculicide be used twice, 7–10 days apart. Morphologically the body louse resembles the head louse but it is larger. The body louse completes its entire life cycle, eggs through mating, in the seams of the host’s clothing. Historically, P. humanus corporis has been the major insect vector of diseases in third world countries. P. corporis should be suspected in any patient with severe itching at body sites in close contact with clothing, such as axillae, waist, and crotch. Pubic lice infestations have increased significantly in recent years.
