Effect of Environmental variables and Toxic compounds on lice movement

A recent study has shown that temperature, light and exposure to toxic chemicals strongly affect lice movement.

The study, by Ortega-Insaurralde, et al., published in the August 2015 edition of the Journal of Medical Entomology, tested the effects of light, humidity and temperature as well as sublethal doses of cypermethrin and DEET on locomotor activity in lice.

The findings indicated that lice movement was not significantly affected by humidity, increased with increased temperature and decreased with increased light. Cypermethrin increased locomotion in lice, while DEET decreased it.