The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 269 No 7223 p670
9 November 2002

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Journal of Investigative Dermatology (more)

Head lice prefer not to jump

Head lice are particular about what will persuade them to move from one hair to another, Australian researchers have found. They attempted to persuade freshly caught Pediculus capitis to move from one hair to another by passing new hairs by them at a variety of angles, directions and speeds. The highest transfer rate, of 85 per cent, occurred when a new hair was moved slowly parallel to the louse, in a tail to head direction.

The researchers say this indicates that the lice probably rely on head-to-head contact for transmission (Journal of Investigative Dermatology 2002;119:629).