Patient's question:
Over the past two weeks, I've noticed patches of reddish or yellowish hemp spots sticking to my underwear. Accompanied by itching at the base of my pubic hair, I later discovered things that looked like round scabs that could be scraped off and move, as well as lice eggs. Is this scabies? Both my girlfriend and I are cleanliness-conscious people, and we shower every day. I also have no history of unclean sexual activity, so I don't know how these things got here?What methods can be used to cure it? Can the method of burning vinegar eliminate these things hidden in other corners of the house!!!
Doctor's answer:
Hello:You have crabs (pubic lice). Pubic lice is an infectious parasitic disease caused by the bites of pubic lice, which primarily infest human pubic hair and surrounding body hair, leading to itching. Pubic lice are a type of louse that lays eggs at the base of pubic hair. Adult lice are sesame-sized. When they use their proboscis to pierce the skin and suck blood, they not only bite the skin but also inject toxic saliva into the body. They also excrete feces while sucking blood, which causes itching and inflammatory reactions in the pubic area. Like other louse diseases, pubic lice can also spread diseases such as relapsing fever and typhus.
Pubic lice are more common in people living in poor hygiene conditions and crowded living environments. They are typically spread through sexual contact, often affecting both partners, so pubic lice are also considered a sexually transmitted disease. Additionally, they can be transmitted indirectly through underwear, mattresses, or sit-down toilets. In recent years, cases of pubic lice transmission have also been reported due to riding horses while wearing shorts. However, in general, humans are the primary hosts for pubic lice, not animals.
Although pubic lice primarily infest the pubic area and surrounding body hair, they occasionally infest armpit hair, eyebrows, or eyelashes. They often cling to the skin surface and frequently grip pubic hair with their crab-like claws, while their eggs firmly attach to the hair shafts. After being bitten by pubic lice, red papules may appear above the skin, causing itching. Scratching can lead to secondary conditions such as eczema or folliculitis. Some patients may also develop bluish or pale bluish spots, ranging in size from peas to fingernails, on the inner thighs or torso. These spots are painless and do not fade when pressed. This is because the blood loss caused by the lice is minimal.