Pubic Louse

Typically found in the coarse hair of humans, primarily the pubic region, but can also inhabit armpits, chest hair, eyelashes, or eyebrows.

Obligate hematophagy (exclusively human blood). They feed several times a day while attached to the skin.

They are relatively immobile and spend their entire life cycle on the host. They attach firmly to hair shafts and move slowly. They reproduce by laying eggs (nits) cemented onto host hairs.

Risks include intense itching (pruritus) due to an allergic reaction to their saliva, secondary skin infections from scratching, and social/psychological distress. They are not known to transmit systemic diseases but are often an indicator of other sexually transmitted infections.