What Are the Signs of Body Lice?
Body lice are blood-sucking insects that are transmitted through contact with infested clothing, towels, or bed linens, or by direct body-to-body contact.
Symptoms and signs of body lice include:
- Frequent, intense itching (caused by an allergic reaction to the saliva of the lice).
- Unexplained rash.
- Small, red bumps or sores on the body. These sores, which are caused by scratching, can sometimes become infected with bacteria or fungi. Infected sores may become red and tender, ooze, and then may crust over.
Long-term body lice infestations may lead to thickening and discoloration of the skin, particularly around the waist, groin, and upper thighs.
Body lice are not found on the head. That is known as
head lice, and is caused by a different type of lice.
What Do Body Lice Look Like?
There are three forms of lice:
- The egg (also called a nit)
- The nymph
- The adult.
The Nit
Nits are the eggs of body lice. They are quite small (about the size of a knot in thread) and hard to see. Nits are laid by the adult females. They are generally easy to see in the seams of clothing, particularly around the waistline and under armpits. They may also be firmly attached to the hair shaft. They are oval and usually yellow to white in color. Nits take about one week to hatch.
