Pubic lice are more common in adults. Patients may come to the ED after discovering lice or nits, which indicate infestation. Sometimes children are brought to the ED for evaluation when concerned parents learn about a case of lice at their child's school or daycare center. However, such findings are nonspecific. Although head lice are found on any part of the scalp, they most commonly are found in the postauricular and occipital areas.
Eggs depend upon body warmth to incubate.
Nits are attached to hair shafts within 3-4 mm of the scalp by a sticky substance. Pediculosis corpus Body lice can be found in any area of the body, although they tend to avoid the scalp, except at the margins. Pubic lice can be found in hairy areas throughout the body but prefer the perineum and pubic areas. An exception is prepubertal children, in whom eyebrows and eyelashes are common sites of infestation. Pediculosis usually is caused by contact with an infested person.