The recent “Super Lice” outbreak seems to be spreading throughout America rather quickly and is now reported to be in at least 48 states. But health officials say the news is no reason to panic. Research published in a March edition of the Journal of Medical Entomology shows that head lice in a majority of states have grown resistant to the over-the-counter medications doctors often recommend to treat the irritating insects. Lice in Alaska and West Virginia weren’t analyzed.
However, these lice aren’t worse than your average louse, which survives by feeding on human blood, said Dr. Patricia Quinlisk, medical director for the Iowa Department of Health. “These lice are no different than regular lice. They’ve just become resistant to some medications used to treat them,” she said. CONTINUE
