Table of Contents
- Overview
- Symptoms
- Treatment
- Prevention
- Images
Lice - body; Pediculosis
Treatment
Body lice mainly live in clothing. Destroy or carefully wash infected clothing in hot water (at least 130 degrees F), then machine dry using a hot cycle.
Your doctor may also recommend a prescription cream or wash containing permethrin, malathione, or benzyl alcohol.
However, hygiene and washing clothes, bedding, and towels are most important and are usually enough.
Support Groups
Expectations (prognosis)
With effective treatment, the lice can be completely eliminated.
Complications
Another (secondary) skin infection may occur from scratching. In rare cases, body lice may carry uncommon diseases, such as relapsing or trench fever. Because body lice is contagious, other family members may want to be treated.
Calling your health care provider
Call your health care provider if you have lice in your clothing or persistent itchiness.
Images
Previous Section
Review Date: 10/04/2010
Reviewed By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of
Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington School of
Medicine. Also reviewed by Kevin Berman, MD, PhD, Atlanta Center
for Dermatologic Disease, Atlanta, GA. Review provided by VeriMed
Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical
Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
