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Who can catch lice, how they reproduce, how to get rid of them… Lice have invaded the heads of many people. But what exactly are these little beasts? For Brut., parasitologist Catherine Combescot answers.
“Personally, I did a lice farm. It always makes people laugh, because it’s true that it’s original.“Catherine Combescot is a parasitologist. In order to study lice, she raised no less than 10,000 of them in yoghurt pots. She explains everything at Brut’s microphone. on this subject that she finds “exciting”.
“Attention! It’s not just for children, lice, huh“, she warns. “When one in the family has lice, well, everyone has to treat themselves. There is this amazing story that there are lice heads and not lice heads. Well yes, I have known teenagers who, at 19, 15, and grannies, and parents: everyone can have lice. People have had lice for millions of years. It is perhaps the only living being that has endured forever.”
“Lice don’t jump or fly, but on the other hand, they are remarkable acrobats. They look like squirrels that jump from branch to branch, even when the branch is very thin. They have legs that are hooked. (…) It scratches us because saliva is allergenic. That is to say that it is at the time of the blood meal that they will inject saliva to which you will be allergic. Everything is done in the louse so that it can feed on blood, and exclusively on blood. They don’t like Lemon Pschitt, you can’t entice them with anything other than blood. They are vampires!” adds the parasitologist.