The use of a louse comb is the most effective way to detect living lice.The most characteristic symptom of infestation is pruritus (itching) on the head which normally intensifies 3 to 4 weeks after the initial infestation. The bite reaction is very mild and it can be rarely seen between the hairs. Excessive scratching of the infested areas can cause sores, which may become infected. Treatment
The number of diagnosed cases of human louse infestations (or pediculosis) has increased worldwide since the mid-1960s, reaching hundreds of millions annually. There is no product or method which assures 100% destruction of the eggs and hatched lice after a single treatment. However, there are a number of treatment methods that can be employed with varying degrees of success. These methods include chemical treatments, natural products, combs, shaving, hot air, silicone-based lotions, and ethanol (ethyl alcohol).Pediculosis is commonly treated with permethrin lotion. Epidemiology
About 14 million people, mainly children, are treated annually for head lice in the United States alone. Only a small proportion of those treated, however, may have objective evidence of an extant infestation. High levels of louse infestations have also been reported from all over the world including Denmark, Sweden, U.K., France and Australia. Normally head lice infest a new host only by close contact between individuals, making social contacts among children and parent child interactions more likely routes of infestation than shared combs, brushes, towels, clothing, beds or closets.
This is a significant problem, as it can cause weight loss of 55 to 75 pounds per animal. Some species of lice infesting cattle include the cattle biting louse (Bovicola bovis), the shortnosed cattle louse (Haematopinus eurysternus), the longnosed cattle louse (Linognathus vituli), and the little blue cattle louse (Solenopotes capillatus). Treatment
Cattle infested with bovine pediculosis are generally treated chemically, by drugs like ivermectin and cypermethrin. History
In the 15th century, topical mercury treatment was used to treat pediculosis. See also
Nitpicking

References
External links

Head louse infestations: Biology, prevention and control  by Prof. Kosta Y. Mumcuoglu
Head lice: Biology and Management at IdentifyUS LLC
National Pediculosis Association
Frankowski BL, Weiner LB (September 2002). "Head lice". Pediatrics. 110 (3): 638–643. doi:10.1542/peds.110.3.638. PMID 12205271. S2CID 245074002. Archived from the original on 2008-10-13. Retrieved 2004-07-12. Morewitz H (2005). "A Brief History of Head Lice". Speare R (2007). "Head Lice Information Sheet". James Cook University, N. Queensland, Australia. Archived from the original on 2014-05-29. Pediculus humanus Head Lice Infestation: Symptoms, Causes & Diagnosis