Treatment Resistant 'Mutant' Lice Spark Concerns About Out-Of-Control Outbreaks
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- It could be a lousy start to the school year for some children.
Scientists have discovered mutant head lice that are resistant to the most common treatments.
As CBS2's Elise Finch reported, parents fear any lice outbreaks will quickly get out of control.
Kids can already tell you all about head lice.
"It's this bug that gets in your hair and it's like a disease sort of," Sebastian Van Dyke said.
The Centers For Disease Control estimates that nearly 12 million American children are infected by the tiny, wingless parasites each year.
Now, just as kids are preparing to go back to school, scientists say lice are becoming resistant to the over-the-counter treatments that parents have relied on for years.
"Oh great, another thing we're going to have to deal with," Stefania Van Dyke said.
"I guess it's like antibiotics, they're becoming resistant when you overuse it," Geoff Van Dyke added.
Researchers from Southern Illinois University studied 109 lice populations from 30 states, 95 percent of the lived collected had genes that make them resistant to the insecticides most commonly used to kill them.
"Resistance means it just takes more treatments and you have to be more vigilant in order to get rid of it. We're hoping not to get to full immunity. What would happen if we stop using these products for a while, and look for more natural products, that resistance may wear off," dermatologist, Dr. Doris Day said.
The mutant lice may be resistant to common chemicals, but there are still a number of oils that are very effective in killing them.
"Studies have shown that rosemary, citronella, tea tree, peppermint, and lavender oils can actually help repel lice," Risa Barash of Fairy Tales Hair Care explained.
Barash developed a lice survival kit to safeguard her children.
The New Jersey mother said even mutant lice are no match for her rosemary, citronella, tea tree, peppermint, and lavender oils, or the organic oils, nit removing comb, and a yeast enzyme she said kills lice.
"It dissolves the body of the bug. It helps dissolve the glue that the nits stick to the hair shaft with," she explained.
Dr. Day said prescription strength medications are effective against mutant head lice, but you should try over the counter remedies first.
If you want to avoid using any chemicals, she recommended a daily coating of coconut or olive oil for two weeks, and use of a fine-tooth nit comb to eliminate the insect and its eggs.
Doctors said lice prevention is easier than any treatment, so make sure your child never shares their comb, brush, hat or scarf with anyone, not even a sibling. You may also consider washing their hair less frequently because lice clings easily to clean hair.
