Definition of pediculosis - What it is, Meaning and Concept

The term pediculosis comes from scientific Latin, where the word pedicŭlus is used to refer to the louse (an insect that is a parasite of being human and other mammals). pediculosis is called the lice infestation and the skin disease caused by these organisms.

The louse is a ectoparasite since it resides on the surface of another species.As the infestation of parasites is called parasitosis , the Pediculosis is described as an ectoparasitosis (a parasitosis caused by an ectoparasite).

It is a skin disease (that is, a dermatosis ) that is contagious.In the case of the human being, the most frequent pediculosis is caused by the Pediculus humanus capitis , colloquially known as head louse .

This ectoparasite is installed in the scalp , which is the skin that covers the skull and where the hair arises.Once installed, the louse places its eggs ( nits ) in the guest's hair and feeds on the person's blood.

Because these lice are not vectors of known diseases, the pediculosis caused by the Pediculus humanus capitis is not serious.It only creates discomfort in generating pruritus; In some rare cases, however, it can lead to the development of a secondary infection as a result of scratching.

Other types of lice can also cause pediculosis to appear in the body or specifically in the pubis .Beyond the differences of each treatment, in general the Pediculosis is fought by bathing daily and washing bedding and clothing with hot water.

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