Recent Blog Articles
Pouring from an empty cup? Three ways to refill emotionally
Is pregnancy safe for everyone?
New pediatric guidelines on obesity in children and teens
Screening tests may save lives — so when is it time to stop?
Natural disasters strike everywhere: Ways to help protect your health
The case of the bad placebo
Do we feel pain more at night?
If you use cannabis, do it safely
Time for a diabetes tune-up
What are the chances that prostate cancer will return after surgery?
Body Lice
What Is It?
Body lice are small, parasitic insects found mainly on the clothing of infested people, and occasionally on their bodies or bedding. They spend most of their life on an infested person's clothing, crawling onto the skin to feed on the host's blood one or more times a day.
Female lice glue their eggs on the seams of clothing worn near the skin, where body heat allows them to hatch in about a week. Hatchlings develop to the adult stage in about nine days if they remain close to the host and have access to blood.
To continue reading this article, you must log in.
Subscribe to Harvard Health Online for immediate access to health news and information from Harvard Medical School.
- Research health conditions
- Check your symptoms
- Prepare for a doctor's visit or test
- Find the best treatments and procedures for you
- Explore options for better nutrition and exercise
I'd like to receive access to Harvard Health Online for only $4.99 a month.
Sign Me UpAlready a member? Login ».
Disclaimer:
As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.
No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
Free Healthbeat Signup
Get the latest in health news delivered to your inbox!
