Läuse – Biologie, medizinische Bedeutung und Bekämpfung

English title: Lice – Biology, medical importance and control.

Abstract: All species of Phthiraptera are strongly stenoxenous ectoparasites on birds and mammals. They spend their entire life cycle on the host. Many species are of veterinary importance, but only three are ec- toparasites of humans – the head louse Pediculus humanus capitis, the clothing louse Pediculus humanus humanus and the crab louse Pthirus pubis. The clothing louse is important as the main vector of Rickettsia prowazekii, Borrelia recurrentis and Bartonella quintana. Its preferred habitat is clothing. Long-term survival of the clothing louse is only possible when infested clothes are worn for long pe- riods of time in the absence of sufficient disinsection measures such as washing or storage. The head louse infests scalp hair. It is wide- spread the world over, among all social groups and especially among children. The crab louse Pthirus pubis is mainly found in pubic hair. It is usually transmitted by close bodily contact, such as during sexual intercourse, and occurs more rarely.
Head and crab lice, as well as animal lice, can be eradicated only by efficient and repeated lice control measures that include re- peated applications of pediculicid medications having a high anti-lice efficacy. To treat human lice, various pediculicids are avail- able with classical and alternative modes of action. Additional steps to effectively control lice and to guard against lice-borne dis- eases are information, attention, early diagnosis, contact tracing and hygienic measures.