Pediculosis Corporis is a medical condition where humans are infested with body lice. The spelling of the word comes from the Latin word "pediculus", meaning lice, and "corpus", meaning body. The IPA phonetic transcription of the word is /ˌpɛdɪkjuˈloʊsɪs kɔrˈpɔrɪs/, which breaks down to: "ped-i-ku-loh-sis" for the first word, and "kor-por-is" for the second word. Accurate spelling of medical terms is essential for healthcare professionals to communicate effectively with each other and avoid any misunderstandings that could impact the diagnosis and treatment of patients.
Pediculosis corporis, commonly known as body lice infestation, is a contagious parasitic condition that occurs when the human body becomes infested with body lice, which are small insects that feed on human blood. Body lice belong to the species Pediculus humanus corporis and are typically found in clothing and bedding, but move onto the body to feed.
This condition is characterized by intense itching, particularly in areas where body lice are present. The infestation is most commonly found in areas where hygiene and living conditions are poor, such as crowded and unclean environments.
The body lice themselves are tiny and difficult to see with the naked eye. They lay their eggs, known as nits, on clothing fibers, and once hatched, the young lice mature and migrate onto the body in order to feed. Although body lice can survive for only a short period of time without feeding, they can transmit certain diseases, such as typhus and relapsing fever.
Treatment for pediculosis corporis involves both eradication of the lice and their eggs, as well as improving personal hygiene and living conditions. This typically includes washing infested clothing and bedding at high temperatures, using insecticidal lotions or creams to kill the lice, and maintaining good personal hygiene practices. Moreover, individuals who are infested need to be isolated temporarily from others to minimize the spread of the infestation.
Vagabond's disease, the habitual presence of lice in the clothing.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
The word Pediculosis Corporis is a medical term used to describe a condition known as body lice infestation.
The etymology of the term can be broken down as follows:
1. Pediculosis: This term comes from the Latin word pediculus, which means louse. It is a combination of ped, pedis meaning foot, and iculus as a diminutive suffix. The word refers to small, parasitic insects that infest and feed on human blood.
2. Corporis: This word is derived from the Latin word corpus, meaning body. The suffix -is indicates the genitive case, often used in scientific terminology.
Therefore, combining the two Latin words, Pediculosis Corporis literally means a condition of body lice infestation.