Topic: Pubic lice (crabs)
Description
Pubic lice are brown or grey in colour, one to three millimetres in size and shaped like tiny crabs. They live in hair of the pubic area, body and armpits and may also live in strong hair of the face such as beards and eyelashes. Lice feed on human blood. The female lays eggs (nits) which attach to hair and clothing. The eggs hatch in six to 10 days. Lice can live up to four weeks on the human body, but die within 24 hours away from the human body on items such as clothes and bedding.
Symptoms
You may see the lice among the hairs or you may see the eggs stuck to the hairs.
Lice may be present without causing any symptoms. Itching is the most common complaint. Scratching may cause open sores which may become infected.
Pubic lice are spread by direct person to person contact, usually by sexual contact, but may also be through sharing of clothing or bed linen.
Pubic lice are common among young sexually active adults. There are other types of lice. Head lice are the most common type of lice, especially in children.
Treatment
Pubic lice are identified by finding lice or eggs.
There are several treatments available. Ask your doctor to recommend an appropriate treatment. The instructions need to be followed carefully to make sure it works without causing any harm. Treatment needs to kill both living lice and eggs. Other household members and sexual contacts should be treated at the same time. Treatment usually requires application of a cream or lotion which is repeated after three to seven days.
As lice can live for a day on clothing and bed linen, clothes and sheets should be washed on a hot cycle on the day of treatment.
Combing the hair with a fine toothed comb will help remove eggs. Shaving is not recommended as a treatment as it usually does not get rid of all the lice or eggs.
Health Outcome
Persons with pubic lice may be at risk of other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and should consider being tested for other STIs.
Prevention
Condoms do not cover the pubic area so they do not prevent the spread of pubic lice. You should check your partner for any signs of lice or eggs. If they are present, they should be treated before any close body contact.
Help and Assistance
For more information on pubic lice, you can talk to:
- Your local doctor
- Your local sexual health clinic.
Other Resources
Queensland Health Sexual Health Website
Last Updated: 25th March, 2009
Date Valid to: 25th March, 2010
