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Anyone — rich or poor, clean or dirty — can get head lice. They infest millions of Americans a year.
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Head lice actually prefer clean scalps, so keeping hair short and clean is no protection against them.
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Children are the most likely hosts.
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Human head lice can be caught only from other people with lice, or from the objects that have been in contact with their hair. Family pets and other animals are not carriers.
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If any child persistently scratches his or her head, consider the possibility of head lice.
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Look for tiny silvery eggs (nits) on single strands of hair near the scalp. They are most likely to be found at the back of the head and near the ears. (You may need a magnifying glass.)
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If one person in a family or school has head lice, others are likely to be infested.
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Your pharmacist can recommend a shampoo that will kill head lice and a rinse to help loosen nits.
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To keep lice from coming back, use a fine-tooth comb to remove nits, and be sure to disinfect bed linen, upholstery, and clothing.
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