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Pediculosis corporisB85.10

Author:Prof. Dr. med. Peter Altmeyer

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Last updated on: 25.01.2023

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Synonym(s)

Clothes louse infestation; Clothes malfunction; Pediculosis vestimentorum

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DefinitionThis section has been translated automatically.

Pediculosis due to infection with clothes lice (Pediculosis humanus corporis). The louse is a vector of spotted fever, febris quintana, European relapsing fever, tularemia (see Table 1).

PathogenThis section has been translated automatically.

Pediculus humanus corporis (also Pediculus vestimentorum), the approx. 4 mm long clothes louse

Occurrence/EpidemiologyThis section has been translated automatically.

Pediculosis corporis is rare under the social conditions prevailing in Europe. Only exceptionally does the infection occur during overnight stays in European hotels. In people without a permanent residence, the finding " Cutis vagantium" should always make one think of an infestation with clothes lice.

EtiopathogenesisThis section has been translated automatically.

Transmission through clothing and directly from person to person. Egg deposition in clothing (seams), also on body hair.

LocalizationThis section has been translated automatically.

Mainly covered body parts, sutures.

Clinical featuresThis section has been translated automatically.

Redness, very itchy wheals, scratch marks, possibly with eczematisation or impetiginisation. Development of a cutis vagantium possible.

DiagnosisThis section has been translated automatically.

Clothes lice and nits in the seams of clothes, especially underwear.

Differential diagnosisThis section has been translated automatically.

Dermatitis herpetiformis; eczema; age pruritus; nummular eczema; pyoderma; tinea corporis; diabetic pruritus.

Complication(s)This section has been translated automatically.

Transmission of pathogens by clothes lice (not by head lice):

TherapyThis section has been translated automatically.

Standard therapy: 1% permethrin cream (e.g. Nix Creme; not approved in Germany, off-label use!) or 0.5% permethrin alcohol (e.g. Infectopedicul) with good antiparasitic but also relatively good ovoid effect. One-time rubbing of the body and exposure for 30-45 min. S.a.u. Pediculosis capitis.

General therapyThis section has been translated automatically.

Clothing infested with lice (including bed linen, scarves, etc.) should either be disposed of or washed as hot as possible. Lice can also be destroyed by starvation by keeping the clothes in a sealed plastic bag for 4 weeks. It is easier to "freeze out" the lice by storing the clothes in a freezer for 2 days. Special anti-parasitic therapy of the skin is not necessary, as lice do not stay there after the stinging and sucking act, but remain in the clothes. Instead, a nurturing, possibly anti-eczematous treatment with weakly effective glucocorticoids such as 1% hydrocortisone (e.g. hydrogalene, R123 ).

TablesThis section has been translated automatically.

Transmitter

Pathogen

Disease

Pediculus humanus humanus (more rarely also Pediculus humanus capitis)

Rickettsia prowazeki

classical typhus

rickettsia mooseri

murine typhus

rickettsia recurrentis

relapsing European fever

rickettsia quintana

Well-hynical fever

tular Francisella

Tularaemia

Salmonella

Salmonellosis

Staphylococci

Pyoderma

LiteratureThis section has been translated automatically.

  1. Powers J et al (2019) Pediculosis Corporis. In: StatPearls Publishing May 21.

Authors

Last updated on: 25.01.2023

Author: Prof. Dr. med. Peter Altmeyer