Body lice

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Symptoms

By Mayo Clinic staff

Body lice bites can cause intense itching.

See your doctor if improved hygiene doesn't eliminate the infestation, or if you have developed a skin infection from scratching the bites.

References
  1. Body lice: Fact sheet. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/lice/body/factsheet.html. Accessed April 8, 2010.
  2. Habif TP. Pediculosis. In: Clinical Dermatology. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=bookPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00024-9--s0270&displayedEid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00024-9--s0275&uniq=193865041&isbn=978-0-7234-3541-9&sid=980213768#lpState=open&lpTab=contentsTab&content=4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00024-9--s0220%3Bfrom%3Dtoc%3Btype%3DbookPage%3Bisbn%3D978-0-7234-3541-9. Accessed April 8, 2010.
  3. Goldstein AO, et al. Pediculosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 8, 2010.
  4. Diaz JH. Lice (pediculosis). In: Mandell GL, et al. Mandell, Douglas and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=bookPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06839-3..00293-9--s0030&uniq=193865041&isbn=978-0-443-06839-3&sid=980140694#lpState=open&lpTab=contentsTab&content=4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06839-3..00293-9%3Bfrom%3Dtoc%3Btype%3DbookPage%3Bisbn%3D978-0-443-06839-3. Accessed April 8, 2010.
  5. Body lice: Prevention and control. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/lice/body/prevent.html. Accessed April 8, 2010.
  6. Diaz JH. Body lice. In: Mandell GL, et al. Mandell, Douglas and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=bookPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06839-3..00293-9--s0015&uniq=193865041&isbn=978-0-443-06839-3&sid=980228065#lpState=open&lpTab=contentsTab&content=4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06839-3..00293-9--s0030%3Bfrom%3Dtoc%3Btype%3DbookPage%3Bisbn%3D978-0-443-06839-3. Accessed April 8, 2010.
  7. Diaz JH. Diagnosis of lice infestations. In: Mandell GL, et al. Mandell, Douglas and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=bookPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06839-3..00293-9--s0015&uniq=193865041&isbn=978-0-443-06839-3&sid=980228065#lpState=open&lpTab=contentsTab&content=4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06839-3..00293-9--s0015%3Bfrom%3Dtoc%3Btype%3DbookPage%3Bisbn%3D978-0-443-06839-3. Accessed April 8, 2010.
DS01073 June 26, 2010

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