sucking louse

sucking louse, (suborder Anoplura), any of some 500 species of small, wingless, flat lice (order Phthiraptera) that have piercing and sucking mouthparts and live on blood and tissue fluids of mammals as an ectoparasite (external parasite). The adult sucking louse, or true louse, glues her eggs, or nits, to the host’s hair. The young, which resemble adults when they hatch, become sexually mature after several molts. The sucking louse ranges in colour from whitish to yellow and shows distinct host specificity. The presence of related lice on related groups of hosts may evidence parallel evolution of parasites and hosts.

The sucking louse Pediculus humanus infests humans wherever hygienic practices are not maintained. In heavy infestations this insect, which is known as the human louse (q.v.), may cause serious skin irritations. Far more serious is its role as a vector of diseases such as typhus, relapsing fever, and trench fever. The pubic louse (q.v.) is found in the hair of the pubic region and occasionally the armpits, the eyebrows, and the beard.

The more important sucking lice that attack domestic animals belong to the genera Haematopinus and Linognathus—e.g., the hog louse, H. suis; the short-nosed cattle louse, H. eurysternus; the horse louse, H. asini; the long-nosed cattle louse, L. vituli; and the dog louse, L. setosus.

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There are several effective insecticides for louse control. During severe outbreaks, insecticidal treatments and heat sterilization are used to delouse clothing. Chemical dips or sprays are used on infested domestic animals. Predatory mites also help to control lice populations.