The Presence of the Pubic Louse Pthirus Pubis in Two Patients Complaining From Tick Infestation

Abstract

Lice of the family pediculidae are obligatory parasites, which are accompanying the human kind during its entire evolution. We present the case of two patients, who visited our hospital with multiple bites. The physical examination of the patients did not reveal any ticks however, the more in depth inspection of the pubic area, where the pruritus was intense, revealed the presence of 1-1.5 mm long insects, which were diagnosed by the parasitologists as belonging to the pubic louse P. pubis. The patients and their families were treated with 5% permethrin and were free of lice and symptoms within two weeks.