These annoying insects , parasitize all kinds of birds and mammals producing an unbearable itch in their victims. These animals usually spend their entire life cycle in the same host, since they are young (nits) until they die, unless they are eliminated before . Their life usually lasts about 30 days, from the time they hatch until they die. During this article we will show you the classes of lice that you must know, among the more than 3,000 varieties that exist. All these, divided into two orders: suckers and chewers.
Surely in your childhood you have heard about them or some of your companions suffered this plague in school. They are extremely contagious, so it is not convenient to expose them. In addition, despite having countless home remedies to make them disappear, they always cling tightly to the scalp so it is very difficult to eradicate them. The best thing is always to go to the doctor or veterinarian in case your pet is infected. Discover all kinds of lice before you suffer them!
4 kinds of lice you should know | Be careful with them!
1. Pediculus humanus capitis
This is one of the three types of lice that attack humans, are part of the family of sucking lice and essentially parasitize children or adolescents. Its size is tiny, as they do not exceed 10 millimeters, although they are easily visible to the human eye. By having the body transparent, it can be seen perfectly when they are full of human blood. These lice can be found on all types of scalp, even on the eyebrows or eyelashes . They can appear for lack of hygiene or simply by human contact with an infected person, among the methods that exist to eradicate these kinds of lice the most effective are the special shampoos or the combs designed to eliminate the nits.
2. Pediculus humanus humanus
They represent another type of louse that can be human, are also known as body lice. They are still smaller than head lice and can only be distinguished from these by laboratory machines, unlike the previous ones this insect lays its eggs on clothing especially in the areas of the waist or armpits. Its three life cycles are divided into nit, nymph and adult . Interestingly, it is thought that these kinds of lice were separated from those of the head about 100,000 years ago, coinciding with the time when the human being began to wear clothes.
3. Pthirus pubis
Perhaps because of its scientific name you will not be able to identify this parasite, but surely you have heard of its common name that is crabs. Its maximum size is 3 millimeters and is usually located in the pubic area, although they can also appear anywhere on the body that has hair. They are much slower in their movements than the head louse and can also be easily seen. The crabs appear due to sexual contagion and on rare occasions with the use of infected clothes. The symptoms of crabs depend on each person, some may notice a lot of discomfort although others may be carriers without realizing it . The best treatment to get rid of them are the special shampoos that you can find in any pharmacy, it is also advisable to wash all the intimate clothes or bedding to avoid re-infecting you. It is thought that the origin of these kinds of lice is in the ancestors of the gorilla.
4. Ischnocera
These lice usually affect birds, although they also attack some mammals such as lemurs. Unlike the previous types of lice described, this has an elongated and unrounded form. Something that facilitates its concealment in the wings of all types of birds. To identify that the animal is infected with this kind of louse , we must pay attention to the loss of feathers, the weight reduction or the restlessness shown by the bird in question. The feeling of irritation that these lice cause them, is usually captured very soon. Do not miss this infection, because if it is not treated it can cause the death of the animal .
As you may have noticed after reading this article, all kinds of lice are quite contagious and annoying. Actually, there is little we can do to avoid contagion besides always trying to have an optimal hygiene. If our children or pets become infected, you can always put into practice the solutions that we have mentioned before. Now we would like you to give us your opinion. Did you know some of these types of lice described? Did you know that there were so many species of lice that can affect the human being? Have you ever had any bad experience with these parasites? Write us your comments, we are looking forward to reading them!