Practical Parasitology

lice

Important notes
LAB: 9
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The AIM of this lecture is :

Identify Lice and scabies parasites

Intended learning outcomes:

Define the parasite Lice and scabies.

Recognize the life cycle of this parasite

Describe the morphology these insects

Illustrate the diagnosis of these insects

Introduction to Lice :

• Lice are small wingless insects. They cause a disease called pediculosis.

• Three important species to human:

1. Pediculus humanus capitis (head louse).

2. Pediculus humanus corporis (body louse, clothes louse)

3. Pthirus pubis ("crab" louse, pubic louse)

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Morphology of eggs (nits)

• Confused with dandruffs

• If viable they present at less than 1⁄4 inch of the scalp

• Present in clothes fibers in case of body louse

• Present attached to pubic hair in pubic louse.

Morphology of adult lice (head louse and body louse)

Habitat either in the head hair for head louse or clothes fibers in body louse

• Three parts head, thorax and abdomen • 6 legs with no hair

Pediculus humanus capitis (head louse)

and Pediculus humanus corporis (body louse)

Morphology of adult pubic louse

• Habitat pubic or perianal hair

• Yellowish to brownish in color

• Plump like crab

• two parts because thorax and abdomen appear as one section

• 6 legs with hair

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Sarcoptes Scabiei

• Transmission: skin to skin contact with infected person, sexual contact, or sharing
infected clothes.

• Infective stage: impregnated female.

• Habitat: skin

Life Cycle

• Sarcoptes scabiei life cycle is an example of incomplete metamorphosis.

• During their life cycle, mites pass into four stages: egg, larva, nymph and adult.

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Morphology of Adults

• Adults are creamy in color, 0.1-0.4mm in length.

• They have 4 pairs of legs.

Morphology of Larva

• Similar to adults but smaller in size.

• They have 3 pairs of legs.

Diagnosis

• Diagnosis of scabies is usually clinical.

• If possible, the diagnosis is confirmed by identification of mites, eggs, or mite fecal

material.

• Failure to identify mites, eggs, or mite fecal material does not exclude the diagnosis of
scabies.

How to Identify the Mite?

• Remove the mite from the end of its burrow using a needle or by obtaining a skin
scraping.

• Examine under the microscope for mites, eggs, or mite fecal material.

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Hard and Soft Ticks

Hard vs Soft Ticks

1- Ticks have spherical fused body (head, thorax and abdomen)

2- Ticks have four pairs of legs

3- Hard ticks have scutum with capitulum on dorsal side

4- Soft ticks have no scutum and their capitulum is located ventrally not dorsally.

Examples of diseases transmitted by hard ticks:

1- Lyme disease

2- Rocky Mountain spotted fever

Relapsing fever is an example of soft tick born diseases.

Conclusion

• Scabies is caused by Sarcoptes scabiei.

• It passes through four stages: egg, larva, nymph and adult.

• Scabies is diagnosed usually clinically. However, it should be confirmed microscopically

whenever possible.

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‫ساليدات المختبر‪.........‬‬

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Pediculus humans capitis

louse eggs on hair -