How Can Head Lice Be Passed to One Another?

Head lice are wingless infectious parasites that live on human heads. They spend their entire life cycle in the hair and on the scalp, feeding on human blood. Lice are killed using medicated shampoos.

Transmission

• According to the Directors of Health Promotion and Education website, head lice cannot hop, fly or jump. They are spread through direct contact with infested people. People catch head lice through contact with infected belongings such as hats, hair accessories and jackets, or by using an infected person's hairbrush or comb. Head lice are also transmitted through infested bedding, carpeting and stuffed toys.

Misconceptions

• People do not catch head lice through animal contact, and they cannot spread head lice to their pets. This parasite only feeds on human blood. People with short hair are infested just as easily as a person with long hair. Lice do not infest people based upon race, socioeconomic status or personal hygiene, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

At-Risk Populations

• Small children are at risk of head lice because they often sit close together during work or play times. In turn, children carry lice home to family members, according to the North Carolina Cooperative Extension.