'Bugs News

A nit-combing aid   Just in time for the start of school we have a head lice treatment . LiceMD (tm) is a liquid gel of a silicone lubricant called dimethicone . Like similar products, LiceMD (tm) detangles and lubricates hair making nit combing with fine-tooth lice combs easier and more effective. Nit (louse egg) removal is the single most important part of any lice control procedure. LiceMD contains no pesticides and is odor free and hypoallergenic. The manufacturer claims that LiceMD eliminates hea d lice in 10 minutes but I think this claim is a bit of an exaggeration because it is the comb-out that actually removes nits and even the manufacturer's website states that the comb-out will take " 1-2 hours ". Nonetheless, if LiceMD or another product will make nit-combing easier and more effective it is probably worth a try. Head lice and school kids - background information   As kids return to the classroom this fall head lice will once again be an issue in many gr...

louse nit and louse Back in 2011, the US Food and Drug Administration approved a new product called Natroba Topical Suspension to treat head lice in both children (4 years of age and older) and adults.  Take a look at this article Head Lice Biology and Control in School-Age Children for current treatment guidelines for parents and schools. The active ingredient in Natroba is spinosad a relatively new type of natural, organic insecticide that has been used in commercial agriculture and home gardens for several years. Spinosad is derived through a fermentation process using a specific microbe that was originally isolated from soil. See Using Spinosad in Home Gardens for more information. Natroba is currently available only by prescription for head lice control. Over-the-counter medications containing permethrin and pyrethrum are still effective against the majority of louse populations but there is some evidence that insecticide resistance to these compounds is increasin...

No-Nits?? - I, and many other entomologists, have argued for a long time that a diagnosis of head lice is no reason to keep kids out of school , or to otherwise s ingle them out for special treatment. It now seems that the American Academy of Pediatrics  (AAP) agrees. The new AAP guidelines are aimed mostly at schools and are released at a time when some schools still suspend students that show any sign of head lice, including simple head-scratching and/or the presence of nits ( lice eggs ). In a recent article the AAP now recommends that: no-nit policies (1) should be dropped in favor of keeping kids in school head lice should not be treated as a serious medical issue but instead as a manageable nuisance head lice should not be considered an indication of unsanitary conditions at home head lice should be diagnosed by a pediatrician, not by nit-screening at school and, that excessive cleaning at home or school is not needed Most head lice infestations can be man...