Pediculosis means infestation with lice. Lice are small insects, which are equipped to draw blood for feeding. They live at the skin level, they are highly contagious and the reproduce in large numbers.
There are two types of pediculosis: the pediculosis of the head - the insects usually live by feeding from the skin of the head, and they are located mostly on the back of the head or behind the ears. It is frequent in children, but adults can also be affected by it, especially if they live in the same house.
The second type of pediculosis is the pubic type. Lice are usually located in the pubic area, but they can also affect facial hair, eyebrows, chest hair and scalp hair but very rare.
Pediculosis of the body - lice live and lay eggs on clothes, and they are only present at the level of the skin when they feed. They feed on blood, and they are very well equipped for sucking it from the skin. In certain conditions, like during natural disasters or wars, body pediculosis can transmit life-threatening diseases like typhoid fever.
Lice are really easy transmittable through personal contact usually. Infestation can be determined by three types of insects, meaning lice. The pubic pediculosis is determined by the mite called Phtirius Pubis. It is transmitted through sexual contact and it is highly contagious; most of the people are contaminated after one single contact with the infected individual.
Still, the insects as well as their eggs can survive on items such as towels or sheets just as long as it takes them to spread to other people. A child diagnosed with this infection can be the victim of a sexual abuse.Lice are very strong and highly contagious, and can be transmitted also through wearing infected people's hats.
Usually they cause an allergic reaction and they affect the skin. The insects bite the skin to feed, and their saliva determines allergic reactions and pus. Skin with pus reactions, can appear within two days, or it can wait,depending on the sensitivity of the individual, as well as the infection history.
Reaction can become unbearable if the individual is allergic to the bites and the saliva of the insects.
Pediculosis of the hair can be seen on the hairs of the head, and the eggs of the mites are white, round or oval shaped and they never slide by themselves on the hair. Before they exit the insect, the eggs are brownish and they become light brown to white after they exit.
The bites of the pubic lice cause little rashes, actually small lesions, which are flat and their color is blue-gray. The signs can last up to several months even after the infection has been eradicated. The individuals who have pubic lice are likely to have some other sexual transmittable disease, since this is one of the signs for it.
Usually, the insects causing the rashes at the skin level are visible on the clothes rather than on the skin. The lice do not go away without a proper treatment, so the infected individuals should see a specialist.
