Pediculosis Pubis ("crabs" and "pubic lice" as they generally called due to their crab-like appearance) are sexually transmitted parasites that live in the human pubic regions. They are called so because when observed under a microscope they look like a crab with six legs and they are part of the louse family.
Symptoms include itching and they can also be found on the eyelashes in young children. They can spread from person to person by intimate contact and also by sharing of bedding, towels and bed linen, etc. In fact even sexual intercourse is not essential, just intimate contact is enough for the spreading of this parasite. It is estimated that worldwide, an average of 2% of the population suffers from crab lice. Though they are mostly found in the genital areas, in some hirsute men, even the abdominal hair and chest hair have shown occasions of infestations.
Normally pediculosis pubis or pubic lice can be treated at home with over the counter drugs after consultation with a doctor. However care should be taken to ensure that everyone in the household is checked over because the parasite takes weeks to breed and only then the infestation manifests itself.
Once treatment has started, care should also be taken to remove all possibly infested linens and segregate them in air tight bags for a minimum of 15 days to prevent them from breeding again, leading to re-infestation. If you do not do this you will be caught in a vicious cycle of re-infestations.
Symptoms
Though many people affected with crabs do not experience many symptoms initially, there will be some itchiness in the genital area around the hair growth, which worsens at night as the lice become active and start a feeding frenzy. They feed on the human blood and they are nocturnal creatures, so they start feeding at night and the itchiness during this time becomes unbearable.
To confirm, you can consult a doctor, who under a magnifying glass can check the infested area for any discoloration as a result of the crab saliva irritating the sensitive skin in the pubic regions. And scratching the area to relieve itchiness can only help the lice to spread.
Prevention and Treatment
It is essential to maintain the hair in all sensitive areas as neatly trimmed as possible. Wild growth combined with sweat and other secretions normally results in bacterial growth not to mention other infestations like lice. Though they spread from inter-personal contact, they survive and flourish in areas with lots of hair left unchecked.
It is everyone’s personal duty to themselves and their families to take care of their personal hygiene, so that such infestations do not recur. Generic drugs like Permithrin and Lindane are available for treating the infestation, though the former is an over-the counter drug while the latter needs a doctor’s prescription and has toxins, and so has to be resorted to only when all other avenues fail.
To Prevent Re-infestation
All beddings and bed linens should be washed in water of at least 54.4° C or 130° F to kill off any nits, nymphs and lice left on them.
Bed linens, towels and other household items have to be thoroughly washed and disinfected. Those that cannot be washed have to be placed in air tight plastic bags and left for minimum two weeks.
Though crabs as such are harmless, they can be a harbinger of other sexually transmitted diseases and so a visit to your doctor is advisable. Thorough combing of the infested area is advised using a special comb that is available in medical shops and pharmacies across the counter.
And above all else, necessary care should be taken to prevent re-infestation as that is always a threat if one does not change their lifestyle choices. Repeated infections can lead to sores and other secondary infections as a result of constant scratching.
The American FDA while allowing the use of Lindane to treat extreme cases, also advises against the same being used on infants under the age of two, pregnant and lactating mothers and those with skin problems like psoriasis. In the end nothing can help you to live your life free of parasites like maintaining personal hygiene by keeping all your private parts clean and free of unwanted hair.
