Free

E-newsletter

Subscribe to Housecall

Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics.

Sign up now

Definition

By Mayo Clinic staff

CLICK TO ENLARGE

Photo of head lice Head lice

Lice are tiny, wingless, parasitic insects that feed on your blood. Lice are easily spread — especially by schoolchildren — through close personal contact and by sharing belongings.

Several types of lice exist:

  • Head lice. These lice develop on your scalp. They're easiest to see at the nape of your neck and over your ears.
  • Body lice. These lice live in clothing and on bedding and move on to your skin to feed. Body lice most often affect people — such as homeless or transient individuals — who aren't able to bathe or launder clothing regularly.
  • Pubic lice. Commonly called crabs, these lice occur on the skin and hair of your pubic area and, less frequently, on coarse body hair, such as chest hair, eyebrows or eyelashes.

You or your child can have good personal hygiene habits and still get lice. Unless treated properly, this condition can become a recurring problem.

Symptoms
References
  1. Head lice: Frequently asked questions. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/lice/head/gen_info/faqs.html. Accessed Feb. 14, 2012.
  2. Body lice: Frequently asked questions. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/lice/body/gen_info/faqs.html. Accessed Feb. 14, 2012.
  3. Pubic "crab" lice: Frequently asked questions. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/lice/pubic/gen_info/faqs.html. Accessed Feb. 14, 2012.
  4. Mandell GL, et al. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Priciples and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/linkTo?type=bookPage&isbn=978-0-443-06839-3&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06839-3..00293-9. Accessed Jan. 20, 2010.
  5. Goldstein AO, et al. Pediculosis capitis. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Feb. 16, 2012.
  6. Longo DL, et al. Harrison's Online. 18th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2012. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2898131. Accessed Feb. 17, 2012.
  7. Burkhart CN, et al. Fomite transmission in head lice. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2007;56:1044.
  8. Head lice: Treatment. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/lice/head/treatment.html. Accessed Feb. 14, 2012.
  9. Body lice: Treatment. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/lice/body/treatment.html. Accessed Feb. 14, 2012.
  10. Pubic "crab" lice: Treatment. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/lice/pubic/treatment.html. Accessed Feb. 14, 2012.
  11. Mumcuoglu KY, et al. Repellency of citronella for head lice: Double-blind randomized trial of efficacy and safety. Israel Medical Association Journal. 2004;6:756.
  12. Semmler M, et al. Repellency against head lice (Pediculus humanus capitis). Parasitology Research. 2010;106:729.
  13. Frankowski BL, et al. Head lice. Pediatrics. 2010;126:392.
DS00368 May 22, 2012

© 1998-2013 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

  • Reprints
  • Print

  • Share on:

  • Email

Advertisement


Text Size: smaller largerlarger