National Institutes of Health
- The primary NIH organization for research on Lice is the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
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National Institutes of Health
Lice
Also called: Body lice
Lice are parasitic insects that can be found on people's heads and bodies. They survive by feeding on human blood. Lice found on each area of the body are different from each other. The three types of lice that live on humans are head lice, body lice (also called clothes lice), and pubic lice ("crabs").
Symptoms of lice may include
- Intense itching
- Rash
- Visible nits (lice eggs) or crawling lice
Lice spread most commonly by close person-to-person contact. Dogs, cats, and other pets do not spread human lice. Lice move by crawling. They cannot hop or fly. If you get lice, both over-the-counter and prescription medicines are available for treatment.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Start Here
- Parasites - Lice(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
The top row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
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Learn More
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The bottom row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
Research
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Reference Shelf
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For group Reference Shelf
For group For You
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Overviews
- Lice(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
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Treatment
- Body Lice Treatment(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Lindane Shampoo and Lindane Lotion - Questions and Answers(Food and Drug Administration)
- Pubic "Crab" Lice Treatment(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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Specific Conditions
- Body Lice(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Pubic Lice (Crabs)(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
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Pictures & Photographs
- Pubic Lice (Pediculosis Pubis)(Logical Images)
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Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Lice Infestations(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Lice Infestations
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Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
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Organizations
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Children
- Pubic Lice(Nemours Foundation)
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Teenagers
- Pubic Lice (Crabs)(Nemours Foundation)
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Patient Handouts
- Body lice
- Also available in Spanish
- Pubic lice
- Also available in Spanish
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You may also be interested in these related encyclopedia pages:
MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA
