Can Flys Give You Lice?
WouterWhile examining a homeless man’s clothing, a nurse notices tiny insects flying around. As the man scratches at these insects, the nurse fears that the man might have lice. She immediately initiates a protocol to prevent the spread of lice. This involves shampooing with permethrin and a special laundering process for all of the homeless man’s clothing.
Lice are parasitic on humans and feed on blood. They live in human hair and on the human body, and can be transmitted from human to human via direct contact. The female louse lays a number of eggs, or “nits,” which are tiny white balls. After an incubation period of four to fifteen days, the first nymphal stage emerges. The female louse uses a sticky substance to attach her eggs to the hair shaft. Once the eggs hatch, they live in the hair for six to nine days. The female louse is a major vector of lice because she is responsible for spreading the parasites to humans. Children and other family members come into close contact with each other, which allows the lice to spread from head to head and body to body.
The best way to prevent lice from spreading to you is to prevent head-to-head contact. This is important because lice can’t survive on clothing and bedding for long. Therefore, washing bedding and clothing in hot water is crucial. You may also have to quarantine stuffed animals or plush toys if your child sleeps with these. In these cases, a hot dryer for 20 minutes can help kill lice on toys.
