Of lice and men.The human louse louse, common name for members of either of two distinct orders of wingless, parasitic, disease-carrying insects. Lice of both groups are small and flattened with short legs adapted for clinging to the host. finds people so delicious that it accepts no substitutes and cannot live more than a few hours away from the sustenance of the human body. The history of these pesky parasites dovetails with that of humans, reflecting several key events that have affected both species. This bug's-eye view of human history rests on analysis of louse DNA DNA: see nucleic acid. DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid One of two types of nucleic acid (the other is RNA); a complex organic compound found in all living cells and many viruses. It is the chemical substance of genes. and on the creature's highly specialized habits. For example, head lice head lice Pediculosis capitis Public health A louse transmitted in crowded conditions–eg, day care centers, homeless shelters Treatment Topical insecticides–permethrin, synergized pymethrin, malathion. See Crabs. live only in the hairs of the human head; body lice body lice Vox populi Pediculosis humanis corporis. See Louse. have adapted to live in clothing. From tracing the development of these lice, researchers in Germany have determined that humans first started to wear clothes about 72,000 years ago--a date that had eluded archaeologists due to the perishability of animal skins and fabrics. For centuries, lice have mostly sucked human blood, spread disease, and caused children to be sent home from school. Now, says one scientist, "We are only scratching the surface of what lice can tell us." |
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