Pediculus humanus var corporis

Definition

Pediculus humanus var corporis, commonly known as the body louse, is an ectoparasite that infests humans and can transmit bacterial pathogens. It resides in clothing and only moves to the skin to feed on blood.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Body lice are vectors for diseases such as typhus, trench fever, and relapsing fever.
2. They thrive in conditions of poor hygiene and close human contact.
3. Unlike head lice, body lice live in clothing seams rather than directly on the skin.
4. Infestations can cause intense itching and secondary infections from scratching.
5. Control measures include improving personal hygiene and laundering infested clothing at high temperatures.

Review Questions

• What diseases are commonly transmitted by Pediculus humanus var corporis?
• How do body lice differ in habitat from head lice?
• What are effective control measures for a body louse infestation?

Related terms

Rickettsia prowazekii:

The bacterium responsible for epidemic typhus, often transmitted by body lice.

Borrelia recurrentis: A spirochete bacterium that causes relapsing fever and is transmitted by body lice.

Ectoparasite: An organism that lives on the surface of a host, feeding off its blood or tissue.