Ver el código de «Pediculosis»

==Background==
[[File:Louse diagram, Micrographia, Robert Hooke, 1667.jpg|thumb|Drawing of a louse clinging to a human hair.]]
*Caused by lice/louse: small wingless insects, dorsoventrally flattened, with reduced or no eyes and enlarged tarsal claws for clinging<ref>https://parasite.org.au/para-site/contents/arthropod-intoduction.html</ref>

===Taxonomy of Human Lice===
*''Pediculus humanus''
**Head louse (capitus)^
**Body louse (coporis)
*''Pthirus pubis''
**Pubic louse

===Transmission===
*Pediculus humanus capitis^
**Affects millions of school-age children all over the world
**Transmission is by close head-to-head contact and rarely through fomites such as hats, clothes, or pillowcases
*Pediculus humanus corporis 
**Propagated when clothes are not washed or changed regularly 
**Usually affect homeless people, displaced persons, or prisoners in poor conditions
**Vector for:
***Rickettsia prowazekii ([[epidemic typhus]])
***Borellia recurrentis ([[relapsing fever]])
***Bartonella quintana ([[trench fever]])
*Pthirus pubis
**Infests pubic hair and occasionally other hairy areas, such as eye lashes
**Usually transmitted during intimate body contact, such as during sexual intercourse. Treatment must therefore include the patient's partner. 

^Most common<ref>https://www.paho.org/hq/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=14106:ectoparasitoses-general-info&Itemid=40370&lang=en</ref>

==Clinical Features==
[[File:When is it a nit .png|thumb|Lice vs. Common Hair Debris.]]
[[File:PMC2843630 pntd.0000641.g004.png|thumb|Heavily infested hair with pediculus humanus capitis (arrow).]]
[[File:PMC4056717 abd-89-03-0513-g01.png|thumb|Massive infestation of pediculus humanus corporis of: (A) head (B) beard and (C, D) pubis.]]
===Pediculus humanus capitis===
*May see live mites or nits (egg sacks) on hair shaft close to scalp
*May be asymptomatic or [[pruritus|pruritic]]

===Pediculus humanus corporis===
*[[Rash]] and [[pruritus]]

===Pthirus pubis===
*Groin [[rash]] and [[pruritus]] (most frequent symptoms)

===Lice vs. Common Hair Debris===
*Desquamate epithelial cells (DEC) may occur when oil glands compensate for drying effects of chemicals (e.g. post initial treatment).
**They are bright, white, irregularly shaped clumps stuck to hair
*Hair casts are thin, elongated cylinder-shaped segments of dandruff 
**Encircling hair shaft and easily dislodged
;Versus
*Nit (louse egg) is smooth, oval shaped, attached to side of hair shaft
**Ranging in color from off-white to brown
**Slightly smaller than a sesame seed
**Always the same shape (never irregular, fuzzy, or encircling hair (although glue produced by louse may encircle tightly around the shaft)
*Actual lice
**Have legs

==Differential Diagnosis==
{{Ectoparasite DDX}}

==Evaluation==
*Generally a clinical diagnosis

==Management==
*Usually transmitted during intimate body contact, such as during sexual intercourse. Treatment must therefore include the patient's partner.
{{Lice treatment}}

==Disposition==
*Discharge
**Children can return to school after first topical treatment has been applied
**Instruct parents and all close contacts to wash clothing and bedding in hot soapy water to avoid disease spread

==See Also==
*[[Ectoparasites]]
*[[Travel medicine]]

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:ID]]
[[Category:Pediatrics]]
[[Category:Tropical Medicine]]