Parasitology lice Flashcards
General info about lice
Similar across hosts; characteristics, small, wingless, dorsoventrlly flattened, often white or gray, some brown, incomplete metamorphosis
Sucking lice
anoplura
Biting or chewing lice
mallophaga
Hosts for lice
mammals, birds
VERY host specific
The entire life cycle of lice is spent
on the host
Eggs are glued to feathers/hairs
Life cycle is a minimum of 3 weeks
Lice transmission
By direct contact or fomites (brushes, bedding, etc.)
VERY host specific
usually site specific
cannot survive long off of host (biting lice may live several days if cool and humid)
Typical clinical signs of lice
pruritus
hair loss and poor hair coat
Clinical signs of severe cases of lice
anemia (esp. sucking lice)
Debilitation (lice may be primary but often are secondary)
insignificant disease vector in US
Clinical importance of lice in small animals
uncommon in well cared for pets
Clinical importance of lice in horses
uncommon but easily introduced, spread (at boarding facilities)
Clinical importance of lice in food animals
common but usually not severe
Clinical importance of lice in birds
Wild- common, usually tolerated
Pets- uncommon, maybe outside poultry
Clinical importance of lice in wild mammals
common, usually not severe
Physical removal of lice
self grooming removes lots of lice
social grooming
other grooming (baths, brushing)
Widely used products for treatment of lice
pyrethrins/pyrethroids
macrolides
carbamates
neonicotinoids
