Pubic louse

Natural Habitat

Found exclusively on humans, specifically in the pubic hair and surrounding skin, but can also inhabit coarse body hair like armpits, eyebrows, eyelashes, or facial hair.

Diet & Feeding

Obligate hematophagy; they feed exclusively on human blood several times a day.

Behavior Patterns

They are slow-moving and use their large, crab-like claws to grasp thick hair shafts. They undergo incomplete metamorphosis (egg, nymph, adult). Eggs, called nits, are cemented to hair shafts and hatch after 6-10 days.

Risks & Benefits

Risks include intense itching (pruritus) due to an allergic reaction to their saliva, and skin discoloration known as maculae caeruleae. They do not transmit human diseases but can lead to secondary bacterial infections from scratching. They are typically spread through close physical contact, particularly sexual contact, and occasionally through shared bedding or towels.

Identified on: 3/12/2026