Mutant Lice: Why Lice Are Resistant To Treatment And What You Can Do About It
Up to 12 million children between the ages of 3 to 11 get lice each year. If your child is one of the many that succumbs to an infestation, you want the bugs gone now. Fortunately, there is no shortage of over-the-counter lice-killing products that promise to do just that. However, it might not be so simple. Many parents are finding that the bugs keep coming back regardless of how well or how often they treat their child. If your child has had a recurring lice infestation, there is a good reason why: some lice are resistant to treatment. Following is a brief overview of why this is so and what you can do about it.
Evidence of Resistance
Researchers have found that the majority of lice in as many as 42 states are immune to insecticides, such as permethrin and pyrethroid. These insecticides are used in the majority of popular over-the-counter lice treatments. Why don't these medications work any more? Over a period of time, vast populations of insects have become immune to pesticides that they have come into contact with, and lice are no exception. Insect species are able to make adaptions to live in hostile environments to ensure the survival of the species.
Mutated Genes and Lice
In the year 2000, researchers started noticing that lice were resistant to treatment and identified several genetic mutations in the resistant lice. They have identified three distinct mutations that are responsible for the resistance. The mutations allow the lice to come into contact with agents that attack their neurological system without suffering negative effects. The lice with the mutations were able to survive and produce offspring with the same genetic mutation. Lice without the mutation were not able to survive and did not produce offspring.
Medications that Work
Fortunately, lice are not resistant to all treatments at this time, only the more popular ones that you can purchase without a prescription. Several prescription treatments still work as do over-the-counter treatments that don't use pesticides. Unfortunately, many natural treatments do not work. In addition to treating your child, you must take strides to remove all nits from the hair as well as clean the whole house to remove any bugs or eggs that might have fallen from the head.
Lice can be a nightmare, but they're not permanent. You can get lice removal if you take the time to find a product that works and if you follow all directions.
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