Body Lice – Symptoms and Causes
What to Know About Body Lice
Body lice are small insects. They are about the size of a sesame seed and live in clothing and bedding. These pests come out to feed on human blood several times daily. They typically bite areas where clothes touch skin, such as the neck, shoulders, armpits, waist, and groin regions.
These parasites thrive in crowded places with poor hygiene. Examples include homeless shelters and refugee camps. People can get body lice through direct contact with someone’s infested clothing.
The bites can cause itching and discomfort. But more concerning is their ability to spread diseases and trigger epidemics in some cases.
To eliminate body lice, wash all infested items (clothing and bedding) in hot, soapy water.
After washing, use the hot cycle on your dryer to kill any remaining lice or eggs. This cleaning process is crucial for preventing reinfestation and stopping the spread to others.
Symptoms
Body lice bites often cause strong itching. You might see tiny spots of blood and crusty areas on your skin where the bites are located.
If washing yourself and your clothes doesn’t get rid of the lice, or if you notice signs of skin infection from scratching, it’s important to speak with your doctor.
Causes
Body lice differ from head lice in their living habits. Head lice prefer to live in hair and feed on the scalp.
In contrast, body lice primarily inhabit clothing and bedding. They only visit the skin to feed on blood several times daily.
The most common places to find body lice eggs (nits) are in the seams of clothing. These eggs attach to fabric fibers rather than to hair shafts.
You can get body lice through:
- Close physical contact with someone who has them
- Sharing infested clothing with an affected person
- Using bedding that contains body lice
Body lice spread easily in crowded living conditions where people rarely change or wash their clothes.
Risk Factors
People living in crowded, unclean environments face a higher risk of getting body lice. High-risk groups include:
- War refugees
- Homeless individuals
- People displaced by natural disasters
It’s important to note that household pets like dogs and cats do not carry or spread body lice to humans.
Complications
Body lice usually cause only minor issues. However, they can sometimes lead to more serious problems:
Secondary Infections: Body lice bite your skin to feed on blood, which can irritate it. Scratching these bites makes the irritation worse. If your skin becomes raw, you may develop other infections.
Skin Changes: Long-term body lice infestations can cause your skin to thicken and change color. These changes typically appear around the waist, groin, or upper thigh areas.
Disease Transmission: Body lice can carry and spread bacterial diseases including typhus, relapsing fever, and trench fever.
Prevention
Staying clean helps avoid body lice infestations. Take regular baths and change into fresh clothes at least once weekly.
Avoid close contact with people who have body lice.
Don’t share personal items like bedding or clothing with others, especially those who might be infested.
These simple habits can effectively prevent lice from spreading.
