Pubic lice examination

In fact, both men and women should pay attention to the health of their genitals, so as to effectively prevent the occurrence of genital diseases. There are many types of genital diseases. In addition to the more common gynecological and men's diseases, pubic lice is also a genital disease that can occur in the human body. The most common symptom of this disease is genital itching, so what tests should be done for pubic lice?

Common methods of checking for pubic lice

Patients can do self-test. This disease has three characteristics: one is itching, two is red rash, and three is blue bruises. Usually no laboratory examination is required. If necessary, adult pubic lice or eggs can be found under a microscope or magnifying glass and identified.

Specimen collection: Use scissors to cut off the pubic hair that contains pubic lice and eggs

Fixation of pubic lice specimens: Select the following fixatives: 70% alcohol or 5%-10% formalin solution. Place the fixed specimen on a glass slide, add a drop of 10% potassium hydroxide solution, heat it slightly on an alcohol lamp, and observe it under a microscope. This is an important method of checking for pubic lice.

Examination findings of pubic lice: Pubic lice are crab-shaped, with three pairs of legs. The front legs are smaller, the middle and hind legs are huge, and they have thick claws that can grab pubic hair. The eggs are rusty or light red. Because of their small range of activity, pubic lice often lie close to the skin or firmly attached to pubic hair and do not move. They bite the skin and cause severe itching. Scratching may cause epidermal erosion, scratches, blood scabs, or folliculitis and secondary damage. Some patients may develop blue spots, which are about 0.5 cm in diameter, gray-green in color, non-itchy, and do not fade under finger pressure. They are commonly found on the inner thigh and abdomen. This may be because when pubic lice suck blood, their saliva enters the skin, causing the hemoglobin in the area to change color into blue spots, which can often persist for several months.

How to prevent pubic lice

(1) Maintain good personal hygiene, take a bath and change clothes frequently.

(2) When traveling on business, do not use public towels, do not wear other people’s underwear, and do not share bedding with others.

(3) First of all, avoid unclean sexual intercourse. Because the main transmission route of this disease is due to unclean sexual intercourse.

(4) After becoming ill, the couple should be treated and examined at the same time. They should also be checked for other sexually transmitted diseases so that they can be treated at the same time.

(5) If a patient is found to have pubic lice, in addition to timely treatment, the source of infection should be traced, especially the sexual partner, who should be examined and treated.

(6) Pubic hair that is shaved off during treatment after an illness and then burned. Wash with hot water and soap, and bathe frequently. Boil all underwear, bed sheets and quilts in boiling water for disinfection or iron them with an iron. This is also a method of preventing pubic lice.