Pediculosis Corporis

Body lice are parasitic insects that feed on human blood. The three types of lice that feed on humans are the head louse, Pediculus humanus capitis, the pubic or crab louse, Pthirus pubis, and the body louse. There has been debate amongst entomologists regarding the proper taxonomy of head and body lice, some identify them as two different species, while others group them as a single species. Those considering them as two distinct species identify body lice as Pediculus humanus, while those who see them as one species identify them as Pediculus humanus humanus. In the medical literature, body lice are often referred to as Pediculus humanus corporis, but according to the rules of the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature, this is an improper designation. Studies have identified that the head and body lice are closely related, with genetic studies demonstrating that body lice possess only one gene that is not also present in head lice. Unlike head and pubic lice, body lice do not live on the skin but rather live and lay their eggs in stitchings of clothing or bedding, moving to the skin only to feed. The most significant difference between body and head lice is the distinct ability of body lice to transmit the bacterial diseases of trench fever, relapsing fever, and epidemic typhus to humans.