Ectoparasites are organisms which live on the skin surface of other organisms.
In the UK, they are inconvenient and carry a social stigma but in some countries they may carry serious diseases such as malaria, sleeping sickness and yellow fever. All are wingless parasites which do not jump or fly but have specially adapted well developed legs. This article will concentrate on head and pubic lice. Pubic or crab lice infestation is primarily, although not solely, a sexually transmitted condition. One percent of 1214 people reported having had a head lice infestation in the previous year.