A disease that is parasitic in nature, the result of which is the appearance of lice on the hair or skin of a person, is called lice. Parasites can live on the head in the hair, armpits, inguinal region and eyebrows. The incubation period of lice is the time during which the insect enters the environment where it develops and grows until the first symptoms begin to appear.
When lice fall on a person’s head, they immediately begin vigorous activity. The first 7 days there are no symptoms, it is possible to learn about the disease most often after a couple of weeks. During the incubation period, lice lice are laid - these are their eggs. Of these, larvae appear, which subsequently also actively breed. Therefore, at the first manifestation of pediculosis, urgent measures must be taken to eliminate it.
Features of pediculosis
What is the danger of this disease? An insect bite, as a rule, does not present any particular danger, but getting into the wounds from a bite of their feces carries a lot of trouble. Complications of head lice:
- Possibility of an allergic reaction.
- Places of bites - wounds become infected quite quickly, pustules appear in this place.
- Not passing an itch influences a dream and mentality of the person.
- The occurrence of rash or relapsing fever (in rare cases).
Nits are found in eggs, which are hard shells. This shell also serves as a refuge for them, which has the ability to attach itself very firmly to the hair. Nits are very small, they can simply be confused with dandruff. The difference is that dandruff and dead particles on the scalp are easily removed, but the nits egg are not. Adult insects - lice - mainly live on the skin, and nits firmly cling to the hair until they hatch.
Parasite development
The incubation period of lice lasts more than a week. When the female reaches puberty, she begins to breed, laying eggs. She can put off about 10 nits a day. The louse clings to the hair and lays the nits through the anus, which comes out in a special sticky mucus, which helps it to catch easily in the right place. When in contact with the hair, the nits tightly attach to it, enveloping. At the moment, a special lid is also forming, when opened, the insect is born.
Nits develop within 7-8 days. During the day, it turns into a larva, after which, after 5-6 days, it matures to a nymph of the first age. Then after 3 days, she becomes a nymph of the second age, then turns into an adult. Accordingly, after infection with lice, the incubation period will be an average of at least one week.
The exact span will depend on humidity and ambient temperature. The ideal temperature for the rapid development of the parasite is considered to be 30 degrees. That is why this disease is often found in the summer. At temperatures less than 22 degrees or more than 44 degrees, the development of these pests stops.
What does a parasite look like
Many are looking for photos of lice in their hair during the incubation period, trying to identify or refute pediculosis in themselves. Head louse is different from other blood-sucking insects, and also has its own characteristics in a tricky device. In length, it is no more than 3-4 mm, in appearance resembles a small wingless beetle. Initially, all insects are light, but they change color to black solely thanks to the drunk blood. Lice live mainly near the roots of the hair or directly on the skin. A louse does not live for more than 46 days, but during this time it can lay a lot of eggs, which makes pediculosis such a serious, difficult to eliminate problem.
A species of bloodsucking parasites in humans
The incubation period of lice and nits will depend on their type. The ripening period will still be affected by temperature and humidity. There are 3 types of parasites:
- Head louse, its rate of formation from nits varies in different limits, depending on the temperature conditions of its habitat. They usually fix the cocoon at the very base of the victim’s hair, where the larvae mature. Under optimal conditions, the incubation period can reach 30 days.
- Pubic louse has the ability to hibernate for several months if there is no power source. The incubation period of this species reaches a week.
- The body louse breeds given also in depends on the ambient temperature. The incubation period in adverse conditions for it can drag on up to 2 months. The person at this time does not bother anything.
If we consider the incubation period of lice after infection as a time period of their activity (from infection itself to the appearance of the next generation), then it is 2 weeks.
Causes of parasites
You can get lice with close contact with a patient with this ailment. Parasitic insects are most prevalent in large groups, especially in preschool institutions. The risk of infection with lice increases when using other people's items in personal hygiene (combs, bedding, towels, hats).
Infection of adults comes from children or from visiting a public place in which it is impossible to avoid close contact (bathhouse, public transport, sauna, hospital, etc.) It is impossible to get head lice from an animal, they are not carriers of these parasites. These pests feed exclusively on human blood. Body lice live on things, appear due to a lack of personal hygiene and contact with already infected things.
Pubic louse lives on the pubis and armpits, the transmission route is sexual. In rare cases, this species may cling through contact with an infected bed. It is not easy to deal with parasites of this kind, therefore, this issue must be approached with all responsibility.
How quickly parasites breed
The incubation period of lice in humans is relatively fast. An adult insect lays a minimum of 5, maximum 10 eggs per day. In turn, new adults grow out of them within 2-4 weeks.
The incubation period of lice is considered to be the period from the moment they become infected with them until the person develops symptoms of the disease. If we consider the biological interpretation of this phrase, then this is the time during which the nits will turn into an adult insect. The timing of the development of head lice is affected by lifestyle and living conditions. Thus, it was revealed that in winter in the northern regions, where a person is forced to wear a warm hat almost all the time, lice develop much faster. These parasites live outside the human body for no more than 48 hours, die when they enter an unusual habitat and are left without food for a long time.
Treatment methods
It is very difficult to deal with any parasites, given the development of their immunity in insecticides, as well as their vitality. Therefore, treatment should be with a scrupulous and very responsible approach. After the incubation period of the lice has passed, the person will begin to feel the first symptoms of the disease. It is advisable to immediately consult a dermatologist.
Given the scrupulousness of the disease, not everyone goes to the doctor, trying to cope on their own. How to correctly carry out the procedure for getting rid of lice and nits? It is better to start treatment with the purchase of special agents that can destroy not only adult pests - lice, but also their larvae. It is important to know that not all tools are able to completely destroy nits, so the treatment procedure will need to be carried out again, after two weeks.
After treating the infected head, it is necessary to comb out already dead or temporarily paralyzed lice, as well as nits. Combing should be carried out with a special comb on which frequent teeth are located, parasites will cling to them.
In order to make it easier to get rid of nits firmly attached to the hair, it is necessary to make a special solution (water and 9% vinegar). After washing the hair and head with this composition, the sticky liquid of the nits will be washed off, it will be easier to comb out. The comb must be used with the most closely spaced teeth (in some remedies for pediculosis it comes from the kit). To improve the effect after all the procedures, you can once again apply a balm to the hair, comb the hair again.
The combing procedure is recommended to be carried out using a magnifying glass so as not to miss a single parasite. It is better to do this one at a time, and then rinse the scallop under running water and wipe it with a napkin to prevent re-infection. After combing, it is better not to be too lazy and reuse the parasite remedy.
How to get rid of lice and nits during the incubation period? Suppose a situation in a preschool is that someone has pediculosis. First, the diagnosis must be confirmed by a doctor, and only then transgressed to treatment.
Kerosene treatment
As soon as the diagnosis is confirmed, it is necessary to immediately begin the fight against parasites. In practice, there are a large number of alternative treatment methods for this ailment. In many ways, they are not inferior to medications.
Kerosene treatment is leading in popularity in the fight against pediculosis. Kerosene is bred with any kind of vegetable oil in proportions of 1:10. Then this product is applied to the hair, put on top of the bag, left for 1 hour. After that, a person should take a hot shower, rinse everything off with an ordinary shampoo and comb the hair well with a thick scallop. This method is considered the most effective, but the minus is that the head has a rather unpleasant odor for a long time. Kerosene helps get rid of the disease in one procedure, but its use is contraindicated in children under three years of age and in pregnant women.
Vinegar and salt solution treatment
Another good method of combating parasites is a solution of vinegar and salt. First you need to thoroughly wash and dry your hair. Next, gauze is taken and soaked in a prepared fresh solution of salt and wine vinegar in a ratio of 1: 5. Gauze must be wrapped in hair for 1-3 days, periodically as it dries, changing the gauze to a new one. These lotions will help get rid of the disease. But to completely get rid of head lice, you must repeat this procedure for several days.
Medicinal herbs in the fight against the disease
Among the herbs for pediculosis will help mint, elecampane, burdock. The leaves of these plants are crushed and poured with boiling water, then insist for about an hour. The broth scares off lice and nits, but it is unlikely to get rid of them right away. This tool is well suited for preventive measures when, for example, parents have reason to suspect the incubation period of lice in the child. The identification of pediculosis in kindergarten, school, and acquaintances with whom the child was in contact can serve as such grounds.
Prevention of lice with essential oils
How to get rid of lice and nits during the incubation period, what other measures can be taken? Also for preventive purposes use essential oils of oregano, geranium, sage, which are added to shampoo or hair balm. These insects do not tolerate strong odors, dying from them. This method is good not only for its effectiveness in the prevention of head lice, but also for its low cost and, importantly, its safety.