Adult louse measures about 1–2 mm with three parts namely head, thorax with three pairs of legs, and abdomen.
The Crab louse or Phthirus pubis is a dorsoventrally flattened, wingless insect of order Anoplura and family Pthiridae. įigure 1: Crab louse with its characteristic morphology grasping the hair shaft with blood filled esophagus (40x magnification) Microscopic examination of pubic hair revealed the presence of pubic louse with characteristic morphology and a blood filled esophagus indicating a recent blood meal. Serology for syphilis and retroviral status were non reactive. He had no genital ulcer, urethral discharge or inguinal adenopathy. Other hair bearing areas including axilla, beard, mustache, eyelids and scalp were examined and were found to be free from infestation. A clinical diagnosis of phthiriasis pubis was made.
Close inspection revealed multiple brown colored nits attached to the pubic hairs. On examination he was found to have excoriated papules in lower abdomen, pubic area and thighs. He gave a history of extramarital contact three weeks ago. Available from: Ī 25-year-old married male presented with itching in the pubic area since two weeks. How to cite this URL: Palanisamy AP, Kanakaram KK, Vadivel S, Kothandapany S. How to cite this article: Palanisamy AP, Kanakaram KK, Vadivel S, Kothandapany S.
