Body Lice types and treatments

Body lice are something which many people have to suffer with, two types of louse breed to make these lice; these are pediculus humans and pediculus capitis. Body lice therefore develop to attach themselves to clothes; head lice usually attach themselves to the human scalp.
As body lice lay their eggs on clothes it makes them easy to pass on to other people and also to breed extensively. The lice must live off human blood and therefore being close to the skin is required. Body lice are often associated with unhygienic conditions; therefore they are well known to infect many people in under developed countries. Homeless, refugees victims of war and people disrupted by natural disasters are therefore much more likely to be infected by body lice.
Another problem with body lice is that they are easily passed onto other people, for example through the touching of clothing or a persons skin. This means that the ability for body lice to transfer is highly likely, many schools have tend to find that many pupils suffer from the problem at the same time.
Body lice have three growth forms; they begin as eggs, then develop into a nymph and then are evolved into an adult. When the nits breed whilst on an individuals skin, the eggs are laid on the skin which then means when these hatch into further body lice. These newly form lice then breed, which means there is a continuous production of new body lice. Due to this, people suffering from body lice must be treated.
The most common form of treatment of body lice is to improve the hygiene of an individual. This means ensuring that dirty clothes are regularly changed for clean clothes and also that bedding and towels are also kept clean. All materials such as these should be washed in hot water to ensure any lice are killed in the process. The person must also ensure they regularly wash their body wish soap and hot water.
Some people, often in more severe cases, are prescribed a medicine which is used to kill the lice. This medicine is called pediculicide, although this is not always effective and it is thought that the best measure to take is to improve the hygiene of an individual.
Another possible treatment is known as delousing, this means boiling all clothing, bedding and towels, often in water at around fifty degrees, for five minutes. The purpose of this is to kill the lice and also to prevent any eggs from hatching.
Other medications are sometimes prescribed by doctors if the body lice do not appear to be being removed, although personal hygiene must also be increased even when medication is prescribed.
Nits are the most common head lice which is known to infect many children, similar to body lice nits are very easily passed on which means many people suffering at the same time is common.