Huntington University Lice Outbreak Spreads Through Campus

Students at Huntington University in Indiana may be scratching their heads over a recent head lice outbreak. At least four on-campus dormitories have been infected.

Vice President of Student Life Ron Coffey told Fort Wayne’s Journal Gazette that the outbreak likely originated from a group of students who returned from a mission trip to India at the end of January.

Head lice are tiny insects that can be found on the head and neck and can survive for up to 30 days. They spread easily by contact and are more common in close living conditions. Symptoms include intense itching of the scalp, red bumps on the head and neck and white specks or nits at the bottom of each hair.

University officials caught wind of the outbreak about a week ago and have begun to screen students who are at risk of infection, according to NewsChannel 15. The university did not provide specifics on the number of students infected, but said that the problem is under control.

The Huntingtonian reports that the school is providing students with lice-killing shampoo and remuneration for laundry in order to rid all clothing and bedding of infestation.

Head lice are rampant in children ages 3 to 11 with an estimated 6 to 12 million cases per year in the U.S. However, several colleges and universities have fallen victim to the tiny pests.

Comments

[flabbergasted student]

04:52 PM on 02/19/2012

As an HU student:
1. It is extremely common: I cannot even believe this made the news.
2. It really did come from orphans in India. Folks- people all over the world are dealing with head lice without any treatment at all. Count your blessing that you live in America where you can buy it from walmart for $15. At least we have students who care to help those in need across the world. So what if lice are involved.
3. OF COURSE WE BATHE!!! Do your research people! Head lice love clean hair- it is easier for them to hold on. It'd be better if we didn't wash our hair for days.

[SangZe]

09:08 AM on 02/19/2012

I guess Mommy's not around to wash and bathe the kids. Don't worry, though, the kids will soon come home, lice and all.

[boscobear]

09:20 AM on 02/17/2012

How dare they try to place on India-I hope their Indian student boycott classes in protest.

[onasphere]

04:56 AM on 02/17/2012

My uncle returned from a trip to India with a variety of parasites. I never felt tempted to go there.

[Reality always bites]

01:52 PM on 02/17/2012

You shunned your uncle because he had parasites?
Did he declare the parasites at customs?
Was he a biologist?
What have the US ever given to India?

[hopein2012]

11:45 PM on 02/19/2012

me too. there are many places to go in this world, that isn't at the top of my list either.

[Burkelbile]

04:06 AM on 02/17/2012

Them head bugs ain't so bad once you git used to 'em.

[hopein2012]

11:46 PM on 02/19/2012

hahahahahahaha

[A voice in the crowd]

03:55 AM on 02/17/2012

Imagine that, college kids are "smart" enough to vote for Obama, yet don't have the sense to bathe.

[WhatDaBleep]

04:27 AM on 02/17/2012

Read the story - it says the greasy neo-con kids that were pig wrestling brought the lice into the school.

[EastTraveler]

05:04 AM on 02/17/2012

'A voice in the crowd'

What a ridiculous comment...

[pepper1311]

03:29 AM on 02/17/2012

How did they know they had bugs? Most are drunk 24x7

[chedet]

02:17 AM on 02/17/2012

I got infected when I went to school in Malaysia. No big deal. Just use the lice shampoo and they are gone.

[NoMoreFreepers]

02:13 AM on 02/17/2012

I have 4 words for those little critters - FOOD GRADE DIATOMACEOUS EARTH, otherwise known as DE. That stuff works wonders in eradicating all parasites, both internal and external.

Intestinal worms, fleas, ticks, lice, mites, bedbugs, earwigs, crickets, flies, wasps, spiders, roaches, you name it, this stuff will kill it. Can be bought at health-food stores, online or pet supply food stores. It can be sprinkled indoors on carpets, baseboards, inside of furniture, in bedding, bedframe, headboard, closets, inside cars, you name it and you'll never see another critter again. Mixing 1 tsp for every 125 pounds of body weight in water and drinking it will kill any parasites inside your body and out. Because DE contains silica, it's great for hair, skin and nails. It can be used on pets or people. Most importantly, only use food grade DE and nothing else.

Farmer and ranchers use DE in their horses, cattle, goats, chickens, pigs, etc feed for parasite control and sprinkle it on their animals for fly, flea, tick, and mite control. Plus they sprinkle it on the ground to prevent flies from laying maggots (sorry I know that's a yucky visual) and to keep any other bugs from swarming on their land.

Hope this information helps anyone who is struggling with little creepy-crawlies - if you use this stuff I guarantee your pest problems will go away.

http://www.morethanalive.com/Diatomaceous-Earth-Food-Grade-Powder

[Jasmine Tokuda]

02:32 AM on 02/17/2012

Good thing about DE is that it lasts years in your carpets and upholstery. My house had a bad flea infestation when we bought it, but the DE made life better quickly. I don't seem to get ants either. I reapply once a year in the areas that get vacuumed more often.

[NoMoreFreepers]

02:55 AM on 02/17/2012

I do the same thing too and we haven't had a single flea in 2 years which is amazing with 2 cats and 2 dogs living in a warm climate. Glad to hear it worked for you :-)

[kclz2420]

01:56 AM on 02/17/2012

Oh sure, blame India... it's a bunch of college kids not showering, washing their feet, practicing acceptable hygiene.... cmon it wasn't too long ago I graduated from college.

[student1]

08:48 PM on 02/19/2012

I am just curious..how do you get lice from not washing your feet?

[DBG Enterprises]

01:16 AM on 02/17/2012

Nasty looking bugs...but easy to get rid of

[sifc33]

12:59 AM on 02/17/2012

As if I needed more reasons to dislike Indiana. GO CATS! Freakin' Hoosiers and their tomfoolery.

[Romo2Austin]

12:46 AM on 02/17/2012

I bet they are scratching other place too

[Boston 019]

12:31 AM on 02/17/2012

Lice are probably one of the more benign infections a college student can catch, lol

[Heavenhound]

11:58 PM on 02/16/2012

So what? Incredibly common, my son had them twice when he was in grade school, and his mother caught them from him. I'm pretty much totally bald, so they gave me a pass. Two shampooings with Rid takes care of them. Now bedbugs, on the other hand ...

[Susan Shaffer]

01:48 AM on 02/17/2012

even better just use conditioner and a fine tooth metal comb. Then comb the hair and wipe the residue on a white towel so you know you got them.
No chemicals.
You do it every night for a week which is the time between eggs hatching and mature lice being able to lay eggs.