A disease that is parasitic in nature, the result of which is the appearance of lice on the hair or on the skin of a person, is called pediculosis. Parasites can live on the head in the hair, armpits, groin 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 get on a person's head, they immediately begin vigorous activity. The first 7 days there are no symptoms, the disease can be found out most often after a couple of weeks. During the incubation period, lice lay nits - these are their eggs. From them, larvae appear, which subsequently also actively reproduce. Therefore, at the first manifestation of pediculosis, it is necessary to take urgent measures to eliminate it.
Features of pediculosis
What is the danger of this disease? An insect bite, as a rule, does not pose a particular danger, but getting into the wounds from the bite of their feces brings a lot of trouble. Complications of pediculosis:
- Opportunityallergic reaction.
- Bite sites - wounds become infected rather quickly, pustules appear in this place.
- Itching that does not go away affects sleep and the human psyche.
- The occurrence of typhus or relapsing fever (in rare cases).
Nits are found in eggs, which are represented by a hard shell. This shell serves as a refuge for them, which has the ability to be very firmly fixed on the hair. Nits are very small in size, they can easily be confused with dandruff. The difference is that dandruff and dead particles on the scalp are easily removed, but the nit egg is not. Adult insects - lice - mainly live on the skin, and nits cling tightly to the hair until they hatch.
Development of parasites
The incubation period of lice lasts more than a week. When the female reaches puberty, she begins to breed by laying eggs. She can lay about 10 nits a day. The louse clings to the hair and deposits nits through the anus, which come out in a special sticky mucus, which helps it to easily catch on in the right place. The nit, in contact with the hair, is tightly attached to it, enveloping it. At the moment, a special cover is also being formed, upon opening of which the insect is born.
Nits develop within 7-8 days. In a 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 infestation with lice, the incubation period will average at least one week.
The exact spacing will depend on the humidity and ambient temperature. The ideal temperature for the rapid development of the parasite is 30 degrees. That is why this disease often occurs in the summer. At temperatures less than 22 degrees or more than 44 degrees, the development of these pests stops.
What a parasite looks like
Many are looking for photos of lice in their hair during the incubation period, trying to identify or refute head lice. The head louse is different from other blood-sucking insects, and also has its own characteristics in a cunning device. In length, it is no more than 3-4 mm, it looks like a small wingless beetle. Initially, all insects are light, but they change color to black solely due to the drunk blood. Lice live mainly near the hair roots or directly on the skin. The louse does not live more than 46 days, but during this time it is able to lay a lot of eggs, which makes head lice such a serious, difficult to eliminate problem.
A variety of blood-sucking parasites in humans
The incubation period for lice and nits will depend on their species. The ripening period will also be affected by temperature and humidity. There are 3 types of parasites:
- Head louse, its rate of formation from nits varies within different limits, depending on the temperature conditions of its habitat. They usually fix the cocoon atthe very base of the victim's hair, where the maturation of the larva takes place. Under optimal conditions, the incubation period can be up to 30 days.
- The pubic louse has the ability to hibernate for several months if there is no food source. The incubation period of this species reaches a week.
- The clothes louse breeds this also depends on the ambient temperature. The incubation period in unfavorable conditions for it can be delayed up to 2 months. Nothing bothers a person at this time.
If we consider the incubation period of lice after infection as the time interval of their activity (from the infection itself to the appearance of the next generation), then it is 2 weeks.
Causes of parasites
You can become infected with pediculosis through close contact with a patient with this disease. Insect parasites are most common in large groups, especially in preschool institutions. The risk of lice infestation increases when using other people's personal hygiene items (combs, bedding, towels, hats).
Infection of adults occurs from children or from visiting a public place where it is impossible to avoid close contact (bath, public transport, sauna, hospital, etc.) It is impossible to get infected from an animal with head lice, they are not carriers of these parasites. These pests feed exclusively on human blood. Body lice live on things, appear due to lack of personal hygiene andcontact with already infected things.
The pubic louse lives in the area of the pubis and armpits, the transmission route is sexual. In rare cases, this species can attach itself through contact with an infested bed. It is not easy to deal with parasites of this kind, so this issue must be approached with all responsibility.
How fast parasites multiply
The incubation period of lice in humans is relatively fast. An adult insect lays at least 5, maximum 10 eggs per day. In turn, new adults grow out of them within 2-4 weeks.
The incubation period of lice is the period from the moment of infection by them until the onset of symptoms of the disease in humans. If we consider the biological interpretation of this phrase, then this is the time during which the nit will turn into an adult insect. The timing of the development of pediculosis is influenced by lifestyle and living conditions. Thus, it was found 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 no more than 48 hours outside the human body, die when they enter an unusual habitat and remain without food for a long time.
Treatment methods
It is very difficult to fight any parasites, given the development of their immunity to insecticides, as well as their survivability. Therefore, treatment should be with a scrupulous and very responsible approach. After the incubation period of lice has passed, the person will begin to feel the first symptoms of the disease. Desirablesee a dermatologist immediately.
Given the sensitivity of the disease, not everyone goes to the doctor, trying to cope on their own. How to competently carry out procedures for getting rid of lice and nits? It is better to start treatment with the purchase of special tools that can destroy not only adult pests - lice, but also their larvae. It is important to know that not all products are able to completely destroy the nits, so the processing procedure will need to be done 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 must 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 them out. The comb must be used with the teeth as densely spaced as possible (in some remedies for head lice, it comes with a set). To improve the effect after all the procedures, you can apply the balm to the hair again, comb the hair again.
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 strand at a time, and then rinse the comb under running water and wipe it with a napkin so that re-infection does not happen. AfterCombing is better not to be too lazy and re-use the remedy for parasites.
How to get rid of lice and nits during the incubation period? Suppose the situation is that in a preschool, someone was diagnosed with pediculosis. First, the diagnosis must be confirmed by a doctor, and only then proceed to treatment.
Treatment with kerosene
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 methods of alternative treatment for this disease. They are in many ways not inferior to medication.
Treatment with kerosene leads in popularity in the fight against head lice. Kerosene is diluted with any kind of vegetable oil in proportions of 1:10. Then apply this product to the hair, put a bag on top, leave for 1 hour. After that, the person should take a hot shower, wash off everything with a regular shampoo and comb the hair well with a thick comb. This method is considered the most effective, but the downside is that the head has a rather unpleasant odor for a long time. Kerosene helps to get rid of the disease in one procedure, but its use is contraindicated for children under three years of age and pregnant women.
Treatment with a solution of vinegar and s alt
Another good pest control method is a vinegar and s alt solution. First you need to thoroughly wash and dry your hair. Next, gauze is taken and soaked in a prepared fresh solution of s alt and wine vinegar in a ratio of 1:5. Gauze must be wrapped in hair for 1-3 days, periodically as it dries,changing gauze to a new one. These lotions will help get rid of the disease. But to completely get rid of pediculosis, you need to repeat this procedure for several days.
Medicinal herbs in the fight against disease
Among the medicinal herbs for head lice, mint, elecampane, burdock will help. The leaves of these plants are crushed and poured with boiling water, then infused for about an hour. The decoction repels lice and nits, but it is unlikely to get rid of them right away. This remedy is well suited for preventive measures, when, for example, parents have reason to suspect the incubation period of lice in a child. Such grounds can be the detection of pediculosis in kindergarten, school, among friends with whom the child has been in contact.
Prevention of head 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, essential oils of oregano, geranium, sage are used, 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 pediculosis, but also for its low cost and, most importantly, its safety.
