Super Lice News 2016: Treatment-Resistant Lice Crawls in 48 States as Children Return to School; What Areas are Affected?
New type of lice is resistant to medication usually used for common lice
A recent study shows that a new breed of treatment-resistant lice is taking over 48 states. The so called super lice are now headed back to school together with students as a new school year starts.
Even if this sounds terrifying, health officials said that parents don't need to panic. According to the study published in the March edition of the Journal of Medical Entomology, super lice is actually no different from regular lice when it comes to size, mode of transmission and even its feeding abilities.
The super lice still feeds on human blood and can also be transferred by using personal items of the person infested with lice. The main thing is that these lice are resistant to known lice treatments. According to Dr. Patricia Quinlisk, medical director of the Iowa Department of Health, she has seen this bug in the state for decades. She advised that parents take extra effort in killing these species.
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Start with OTC medications
At the first sign of lice infestation, parents should consult their local physician for the best course of action. They could start with OTC treatments such as shampoos or other topical treatments with pyrethrin or permethrin.
Parents should also follow directions closely. Usually most anti-lice OTC shampoos tell users to use a fine-toothed comb to remove eggs after using the product. This should be followed very closely.
Most products also have a specific number of days these have to be used and this should also be followed to the T.
If OTC products don't work
If parents follow products diligently but their child still has lice then this is the time to move on to a new product. A physician may prescribe prescription creams or lotions such as Stromectol which has an active chemical that prevents heartworm infestations in dogs. This is just one of the most popular treatments that have been known to be effective with resistant lice.
Prevention is worth a pound of cure
Repeated lice infestations could affect a child's health and overall confidence. Parents and care givers should do their best to prevent future infestations from happening. Children should be taught not to share personal item such as combs, hair brushes, clips and hats.
Lice can't hop or jump like fleas and do not fly like mosquitoes. These attach themselves on hats, combs and clips and transfer to another host through these means.
Overall, there are three kinds of lice and these are seen in different areas of the body. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only body lice are able to spread disease.
