Today, parasitic diseases are increasingly common . Often a person is diagnosed with pubic pediculosis, which is a parasitic skin disease provoked by one of the types of lice. These insects affect the genitals, the hairline on the pubis and in the anus. In some cases, they spread to the stomach, chest, or armpits.
Infection occurs during sexual intercourse, as well as through contact through the household through bedding, visiting saunas, baths and swimming pools. Pubic lice affect only humans. No parasites were found in animals. They have a size of up to one and a half millimeters, feed on human blood. A similar disease affects a fifth of the population of disadvantaged epidemiological areas.
Description of the problem
Pubic lice (phthiasis) is one of the STDs that is triggered by parasitization of a certain type of lice on the human body. They live on those parts of the body that are covered with hair: pubis, scrotum, perineum, anus, armpits.
These parasites do not inhabit the scalp. This is due to the fact that in the areas of their localization there is a large number of apocrine glands that secrete a secret that attracts parasites. Most often, such an ailment is accompanied by other sexually transmitted diseases, therefore, doctors conduct diagnostics to determine them.
Pubic lice reach sizes up to one and a half millimeters. At the same time, in one month, the female can lay up to ten larvae that attach to the base of the hair. Outside the human body, the parasite dies within one day, and the larva after seven days.
Lice can cause purulent skin disease, inflammation of the lymph nodes and sepsis. This is due to the fact that the parasite, biting the skin, causes itching. When combing, purulent inflammations appear, which provoke the development of serious complications. Parasites die under the influence of high temperature.
Often a person does not even know that he has a disease, since lice move very little, they practically grow into the skin.
Causes of the disease
As you know, pubic lice provoke lice. Infection occurs through sexual or contact-household means. Often infection occurs in crowded places.
When the parasite enters the skin, it does not immediately begin to act. The first signs of the disease appear after a month from the moment of infection. First, lice are fixed on the hair, then penetrate the skin. They bite it, injecting special enzymes that prevent blood from clotting.
The most common cause of the development of the disease is sexual intercourse with an infected partner. In 30% of cases, the pathology is accompanied by diseases such as mycoplasmosis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia.
Risk group
The risk group includes people:
- leading a vagabond lifestyle;
- refugees and displaced persons;
- living in environmentally disadvantaged regions and zones of armed conflict;
- employees of some institutions: kindergartens, baths, hairdressers, laundries;
- prisoners and prison staff;
- military personnel.
Symptoms of the disease
Symptoms of pubic pediculosis begin to appear a month after infection. In this case, a person feels itching of the skin in the affected areas. This is usually the pubic area. The intensity of the itching can be different, in some cases a person does not even notice it. Very often, people start combing itchy areas of the skin, provoking the development of inflammation. The skin turns red, eczema appears on it, through which secondary infections penetrate the body.
Dark spots can also form on the skin due to minor hemorrhages at the sites of lice bites. Such spots are up to 15 millimeters in size and resemble signs of syphilis or typhoid roseola. Pubic pediculosis in men and women can manifest as allergic reactions.
With highly developed hair, lice can be found throughout the body. Also, papules and vesicles, pustules can form on the skin, peeling, the formation of hemorrhagic crusts and even the development of pyoderma can be observed. The main sign of the disease is the detection of the lice themselves or their larvae. They can most often be seen when they get drunk on blood. In this case, lice become orange.
Complications and consequences
As the main complication of phthiasis is getting into the body of a secondary infection when combing the affected areas of the skin. Most often, a person develops pyoderma, but sometimes the infection spreads to the lymph nodes, provoking the development of lymphadenitis, into fatty tissue, contributing to the formation of boils, carbuncles or abscess.
If the infection enters the blood, infection can occur. Often, STDs act as secondary infections: gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis and others.
With lesions in children, eyelashes and eyebrows often develop chronic blepharitis. Therefore, at the first manifestations of the disease, you must immediately visit a doctor.
Survey methods
It is easy to diagnose pubic lice in women and men. Patient complaints allow you to make an initial diagnosis. The doctor examines the surface of the skin, which is affected by parasites. In this case, lice are almost always found. Therefore, examination is the main diagnostic method for such a disease.
Usually, the doctor uses a magnifying glass during the examination. Sometimes particles of orange color, which are excrement of parasites, are found on the skin. The doctor also directs the patient to diagnose hidden infections. For this, methods such as PCR and ELISA are often used.
Modern techniques
Today in medicine there are more accurate and convenient diagnostic techniques. Often a Wood lamp is used for research. When viewed in the light of the lamp, the parasite larvae begin to glow with a bright white light, which reminds pearls.
Often, video dermatoscopy is used as a diagnostic method. In this case, the doctor uses a video camera that has the function of polarizing light. It is connected to a PC. This camera takes pictures of the affected areas, and then they are examined under high magnification. This makes it possible to identify adult parasites and their larvae.
Also, a similar technique is used in the treatment of pathology to monitor its effectiveness. It allows you to distinguish living individuals from the dead. If only dead parasites are detected, treatment is stopped, even if the symptomatology of the disease has not disappeared.
Therapies
Treatment of pubic lice is most often carried out with the use of aerosols, which include pyrethrin. This substance is neurotoxic to parasites. A similar drug is sprayed over the affected skin, and after one hour, the areas are washed under running water with soap.
Ointments and creams against parasites are also often used. Before applying such products, hair on the affected areas must be shaved. Pubic pediculosis is often treated with ointments such as Permethrin, Lindane. These funds are applied to the affected areas for ten minutes, and then washed off.
Therapy with the above medicines is not used in the field of organs of vision. When eyelashes are affected, such a remedy for pubic lice is prescribed as ocular occlusal ointment. It is applied forever twice a day for ten days.
Bed and underwear should be washed at high temperature, machine washable for this. Then it needs to be dried and ironed, put in a bag and set aside for three days.
Additional recommendations
Treatment of the disease should be carried out together with sexual partners in order to avoid the secondary development of the disease, as well as its spread. If symptoms persist after treatment, the patient should undergo a second examination. If lice or their larvae are found, the doctor will prescribe a second treatment using other medications. In pregnant women, pubic pediculosis is treated with Permethrin.
The most effective and inexpensive method of treatment is to completely shave off the hairline. This method has no side effects and contraindications. To achieve a positive lasting result, shaving hair is recommended for two months. To enhance the effect, special creams or ointments can be used together.
Chemical therapy
Often in medicine, insecticides are used to treat such a disease. They act quite simply and quickly on parasites. If all the doctor's recommendations are followed, you can get rid of lice after two procedures. The substance that is part of the drug has a paralytic effect on the parasite. The second procedure is necessary to consolidate the result.
Today there are a large number of different insecticidal agents, they can have a different shape, so everyone can choose the right option for themselves. Also, such tools differ in the principle of exposure to parasites:
- Nerve paralytic effect. The tool penetrates the body of lice and affects their nervous system, provoking the development of paralysis and rapid death.
- Asphyxiating effect. Such products, which include a special silicone, contribute to blocking the respiratory tract of parasites, which provokes the onset of suffocation and death. Some drugs create an airtight film on the skin, which blocks the flow of oxygen to the parasites, causing their death as a result of suffocation.
Doctors consider Dimethicon to be the safest drug. Before using this method of therapy, doctors recommend rinsing the affected area with water and vinegar.
Alternative therapy
Non-traditional treatment of pubic pediculosis is also allowed. Folk remedies in this case give a positive effect. It is recommended to wash the affected areas for several days with tar soap. A solution of water and vinegar is also often used, they are taken in equal parts and treated with skin. After 20 minutes, the treated areas must be washed. The procedure is repeated two weeks later.
Hellebore water from pubic lice is good. Hair and skin are treated with it, and after twenty minutes they are washed off with water. In the fight against parasites, tansy flowers help. They must be poured (1 tbsp. L.) With boiling water (1 glass) and insisted for about thirty minutes. Then the infusion is cooled and applied to the skin. This procedure is repeated for about three days.
Doctors recommend exploring possible side effects before using traditional medicine. For example, vinegar in some people can cause skin irritation and burns. Soap is able to dry the skin. Before using any means, you must consult your doctor.
Forecast
The prognosis of the pathology is favorable. Today in the pharmacy there is a wide range of drugs that can cope with a similar disease. But a doctor should prescribe a suitable remedy. In addition, pediculosis is often accompanied by other sexually transmitted diseases. Therefore, it is important to undergo a comprehensive diagnosis for a full recovery after appropriate therapy. If untreated, the disease will progress for many years, contributing to the development of complications and negative consequences.
Prevention
Prevention of pathology should be aimed at observing hygiene rules. A person should wash his body daily, periodically wash clothes. Such events will not allow lice to take root on the body. Ironing clothes and things contributes to the death of parasites. Doctors recommend not using other people's hygiene products and things.
It is very important to carefully choose your sexual partner. It is not recommended to enter into intimacy with a stranger. Also, everyone should periodically examine the intimate area of ββthe body.
Pubic pediculosis is common today. A similar disease is referred to as parasitic. In medicine, a sufficient number of methods for treating an ailment have been developed. Therefore, you can get rid of parasites in a short period of time. The main thing in this case is to diagnose the disease in a timely manner, and also to determine the presence of concomitant pathologies.