Signs and Symptoms of Body Lice
The most common symptom of body lice is frequent, intense itching. This is because the saliva of the body lice causes an allergic reaction.
Long-term body lice infestations may lead to thickening and discoloration of the skin, particularly around the waist, groin, and upper thighs.
A body lice diagnosis is made by looking closely in the seams of clothing and on the body for eggs and for crawling lice. Body lice are most commonly seen along the seams of clothing. It is not uncommon for clothing to contain several hundred active lice. The body usually has a lot fewer active lice. Typically, when body lice are diagnosed, the body will contain less than ten active lice.
Body lice live primarily on clothing. Therefore, in a lot of cases, an infestation can be treated by giving the person a clean change of clothes and a shower, and by laundering or throwing away all worn clothing, bed linens, and towels. In some cases, medications may be needed in order to treat body lice.
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