Head lice. They're a problem in schools and other areas where children are in close quarters.
Now there's news that they're getting harder to kill.
A Southern Illinois University study shows lice in 25 states, including Virginia and North Carolina, are now immune to over-the-counter treatments.
High levels of gene mutations are desensitizing the insects to permethrin, the active ingredient lice shampoos, researchers say. It's in a family of insecticides called pyrethroids , which are widely used indoors and outdoors to control mosquitoes and other insects.
Lice can be treated with different chemicals, but most are only available by prescription.
Researcher Kyong Yoon, Ph.D, says the situation also offers a cautionary tale.
"If you use a chemical over and over, these little creatures will eventually develop resistance," Yoon says. "So we have to think before we use a treatment. The good news is head lice don't carry disease. They're more a nuisance than anything else."
Source==abc13====Read or Share this story: http://on.wvec.com/1NEOmlt