Where are pubic lice found? - briefly
Pubic lice reside primarily in the coarse hair of the genital area, but they also infest axillary, abdominal, chest, and facial hair. They cling to hair shafts near the skin, feeding on blood and depositing eggs attached to the strands.
Where are pubic lice found? - in detail
Pubic lice, also known as Pthirus pubis, inhabit regions of the human body that provide dense, coarse hair. The primary site is the pubic region, where the lice attach to the shaft of the hair and feed on blood from the skin. Secondary locations include the axillae (underarms), the perianal area, the thighs, and, in some cases, the chest and abdomen where hair is sufficiently thick.
The insects survive only in close proximity to hair shafts; they cannot live on smooth skin. Consequently, infestations are rarely found on the scalp, which is reserved for head lice (Pediculus humanus capitis). The environment required for their life cycle includes:
- Warm, humid conditions that favor egg (nit) development.
- Direct contact with an infested person’s hair, typically during sexual activity but also possible through shared bedding, towels, or clothing.
- A host that provides a continuous blood supply; adult lice feed several times daily, remaining attached to hair for the duration of their life span (approximately 30 days).
Eggs are firmly cemented to hair shafts near the base, making them difficult to remove. Nits hatch within 5–10 days, releasing nymphs that mature in another 9–12 days. The entire cycle occurs on the host, requiring no external environment beyond the immediate hair-covered areas.
In non‑human primates, analogous lice species occupy similar regions of body hair, confirming the species’ adaptation to coarse hair zones across related hosts.