Pubic lice

Pubic lice are one of the many varieties of lice? (singular "louse?") specialized to live on different areas of different animals. As the name implies, pubic lice are specialized to live in the human pubic hair, but may also live in hair on other areas of the body.

The pubic louse is somewhat crab-shaped, hence its slang name of "crabs".

The female louse glues her eggs, called "nits", which look like tiny white beads, to hair shafts.

The louse feeds on human blood, and the bite causes itching. Bites can become secondarily infected; scratching may break the skin and help cause secondary infection.

Pubic lice are normally spread by sexual contact and are considered a sexually transmitted disease, but can also be spread by sharing clothes or bedding.

Pubic lice are easily killed by special shampoos or creams, but the pubic hair must be combed with a fine-toothed comb after treatment to remove the nits. Lice can survive in bedding and clothing, so these items must be treated, sterilized, or contact witht them must be avoided for two weeks, after which time any lice will have died.