Pediculosis capitis (Head lice infestation) Pediculosis corporis (Body lice infestation)
Description
Pediculosis is the result of infestation by Pediculus humanus capitis (head louse) and Pediculus humanus corporis (body louse), sucking lice belonging to the family Pediculidae. Head louse is transmitted by close contact or by fomites such as combs. Transmission of body louse occurs mainly through contact with contaminated clothing or bedding. Body louse is major vectors of diseases such as epidemic typhus [DS:H00322], trench fever [DS:H00327], and relapsing fever [DS:H00427].
Category
Parasitic infectious disease
Brite
Human diseases in ICD-11 classification [BR:br08403]
01 Certain infectious or parasitic diseases
Parasitic diseases
Infestations by ectoparasites
1G00 Pediculosis
H01054 Pediculosis
Genome-based classification of infectious diseases [BR:br08401]
Parasitic infections (animals)
Infections caused by arthropods
H01054 Pediculosis
Pathogen
Pediculus humanus capitis (head louse) Pediculus humanus corporis (body louse) [GN:phu]
Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) [CPD:C04623] powder was the treatment of choice during World War II, but the lice began to show resistance to this pesticide during the 1950s.
