September 11th, 2008

Health officials and parents across the country are learning of new “super lice,” lice which in many cases are proving resistant to traditional over-the-counter and prescription treatments, such as Nix and Ovide.

The “super lice”– which researchers say people will soon to be able to treat with more potent treatments– are sparking a debate about how bad and prevalent head lice really are.  While the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that between 6 and 12 million children each year become infected with head lice, other sources say that those estimates are too high– and that the real number is actually about half a million.

Many other officials are saying that the real harm of head lice lies in the stigma surrounding them, which causes kids to feel embarrassed and miss school.  They say that the actual lice are more of a nuisance, not a serious health hazard.

For more info on the “super lice” and the debate surrounding them, visit MSNBC.