Louse
Louse-infested clothing is subjected to washing or ironing
What our notes say
- Louse-infested clothing is subjected to washing or ironing (Medical Parasitology)
- Eggs are attached to lice and composed of both louse attached to hair shaft (Medical Parasitology)
- LOUSE is an arthropod that is most likely to be monophagous (Medical Entomology Past Paper MCQs)
- 3 blood-sucking human types: Body louse (Pediculus humanus corporis), Head louse (P. humanus capitis), Pubic/crab louse (Pthirus pubis) (YEAR 3 PARASITOLOGY NOTES)
- Body louse vectors: Epidemic typhus (Rickettsia prowazekii), Relapsing fever (Borrelia recurrentis), Trench fever (Bartonella quintana) — all transcutaneous (YEAR 3 PARASITOLOGY NOTES)
- Monophagous — feeds on one host species only; classic example = louse (humans only) (Medical Vectors: Ticks, Trypanosomiasis, Leishmaniasis & More)
Study material on Louse
- Medical Entomology Questions
- Medical Parasitology
- YEAR 3 PARASITOLOGY NOTES
- Medical Vectors: Ticks, Trypanosomiasis, Leishmaniasis & More
- Medical Entomology & Parasitology Quiz Q&A
- Medical Bacteriology and Entomology MCQs
Practice questions on Louse
If lice eggs (nits) are found in clothing, they are most likely from the body louse, Pediculus humanus humanus, which infests clothing and bedding, unlike head lice or pubic lice which primarily infest the hair.
- A) Pediculus humanus humanus (body louse)
- B) Pediculus humanus capitis (head louse)
- C) Pthirus pubis (pubic louse)
- D) Sarcoptes scabiei (scabies mite)
Answer: A. Body lice (Pediculus humanus humanus) live in clothing and bedding and lay their eggs (nits) on fabric fibers. Head lice and pubic lice primarily lay eggs attached to hair shafts.
Louse eggs (nits) found in clothing most likely belong to:
- Pediculus humanus
- Crab lice
- Pediculus capitis
- Pthirus species
Answer: A.