Lice and Scabies Flashcards
Explain the life cycle of lice.
male + female louse–>egg–>nymph–>adult louse
-female lice survive for 1-3 months and lay 5-10 eggs per day
-nymphs emerge after 6-10 days
-nymphs undergo 3 molts over 10 days
In which group of people do we most commonly see lice?
young children
What are the most probable routes of lice transmission?
head-to-head contact (vast majority of cases)
beds
towels
hats
combs/brushes
True or false: lice jump to a new host
false
they dont have wings
True or false: lice prefer dirty hair, thus excessive shampooing will help prevent your child from getting lice
false
clean or dirty hair, lice dont care
True or false: it is highly unlikely to get lice from your pet or on the back of couches
true
Differentiate between nits and lice.
nits:
-the eggs
-immobile (glued to one spot)
-typically laid closely to the scalp for warmth
-they do not wash out (shampoo or combs will do niche)
lice:
-living
-little bugs
What are the symptoms of lice?
it can vary from nothing to itching
-itching typically occurs behind the ears or back of neck
because
-the nits like the warmth in these spots
What was the original insecticide used for lice?
GBH/lindane (original Kwellada)
-agricultural chemical
Why was GBH/lindane (original Kwellada) taken off the market?
it was totally safe for head lice but people overused it for scabies
head lice: used as a shampoo for 8 minutes to kill lice
scabies: Kwellada needed for 8-12hrs from head to toe, some
people used for months on end which caused
neurological disorders
List off all the lice treatments. (that are currently available)
pyrethrins/pb
permethrin
Nyda
isopropyl myristate
anista/coconut oil
List off characteristics of the pyrethrins/pb treatment.
apply to dry hair
shampoo for 10 minutes
repeat in 7 days
removes nits
resistance is possible
Where do pyrethrins come from?
chrysantheum plant extract
What is the point of adding piperonyl butoxide to the pyrethrin treatment?
pb is a potency enhancer, it helps pyrethrins last longer or get into the bodies of lice better
True or false: GBH is safer than pyrethrin
false
What are the side effects of the pyrethrin treatment?
almost none, maybe some local reactions
Jeff says he never discusses any side effects
What is one of the popular pyrethrin/pb treatments?
R & C
R & C II Spray is an insecticide that is promoted to kill lice on furniture, bedding, mattresses, etc. What do we make of this product?
not needed in the vast majority of lice cases
lice do not want to live on spots like the couch