Head Louse

Human scalp and hair

Obligate ectoparasite that feeds exclusively on human blood several times a day

Crawls between hairs and attaches eggs (nits) to hair shafts close to the scalp; cannot jump or fly; transmitted via direct head-to-head contact

Can cause intense itching and possible secondary skin infections from scratching; does not transmit disease but is a significant nuisance in school-aged populations