EDMONTON - A rare form of lice, not often found in developed countries, has been found amongst the homeless community in Edmonton.
Over the past six months, Boyle McCauley Health Centre's medical director says he has seen an increasing number of people coming into the facility with body lice.
"Body lice are different in that they don't really attach to the body, but they will bite on the surface of the body and they will then return to and cling on to clothing where they will also lay their eggs," explained Dr. Mat Rose.
Body lice are about the size of a sesame seed and the bites can cause sores on the body.
There have been 20 reported cases of body lice in Edmonton over the past six months, compared to just one case in 2000.
Body lice does not cling to the skin, although it does sometimes stick to the hair shafts. Body lice can be cured by showering and wearing clean, laundered clothing. Rose says the outbreak is an indication that some people can't or aren't able to access important support facilities in our city.
"When the shelters are full, people have to go somewhere. They will then crowd in with friends, couch surfing," Rose explained, "Everybody is kind of crowded together. Or if people are sleeping on the street, often they will sleep together, sharing blankets and so on and sharing warmth and that's an ideal situation for the lice to move from one person to another."
"Body lice will only persist when people are unable to change clothing, or (wear) clean clothing and typically will arise only in situations where there's very poor hygiene or lack of access to appropriate, basic hygiene," Rose added.
Rose says if people had better access to facilities where they could launder their clothing or shower, the body lice problem could be eliminated.
With files from Laurel Clark.
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