What are clothing lice called? - briefly
The lice that inhabit clothing are called body lice, scientifically Pediculus humanus corporis. Unlike head lice, they reside mainly in the seams and folds of garments.
What are clothing lice called? - in detail
The insects that inhabit garments and feed on human blood are commonly referred to as body lice. Their scientific designation is Pediculus humanus corporis, a subspecies of the human louse distinct from the head louse (Pediculus humanus capitis).
Body lice are wingless parasites about 2–4 mm long, with a flattened body adapted for moving through fabric fibers. Their lifecycle comprises egg (nit), nymph, and adult stages. Eggs are cemented to clothing seams; nymphs emerge after 7–10 days, mature in another 7–10 days, and require blood meals every 30–60 minutes. The entire cycle is completed in roughly three weeks.
Key characteristics distinguishing body lice from other human lice:
- Habitat: reside in seams of shirts, trousers, and undergarments; do not live on the scalp.
- Mobility: capable of moving onto the skin to feed, then returning to clothing.
- Disease vector: able to transmit epidemic typhus, trench fever, and relapsing fever through contaminated feces.
Control strategies focus on eliminating the clothing environment:
- Launder all garments at ≥60 °C or dry‑clean them.
- Iron clothing to destroy surviving nits.
- Replace infested items that cannot be treated.
- Maintain personal hygiene and regular bathing.
Epidemiologically, body lice infestations are prevalent in situations with overcrowding, poor sanitation, and limited access to clean clothing, such as refugee camps, homeless populations, and wartime conditions. Prompt removal of contaminated clothing and adherence to laundering protocols effectively eradicate infestations and reduce disease transmission risk.