b. Troops in Civilian Louse-Infested Areas. When troops are stationed in
areas where the civilian population is lousy, chances are high that the troops will
become infested. Follow these guidelines:
Inspect the troops frequently for lice.
Control by emphasizing good personal hygiene among the troops.
Provide adequate laundry facilities.
Laundering clothing at 140F or higher (and dry cleaning) will kill all active lice
NOTE:
as well as their eggs.
Whenever a person's skin shows evidence of scratching or of insect
bites, he should carefully examine his clothes for body lice, particularly at the seams
where they tend to congregate.
When one infested person is found, all other personnel in his unit should
be carefully examined for lice.
-- If 5 percent or more of the personnel in a unit is found to be infested,
the entire unit should be deloused using mass delousing procedures.
-- If less than 5 percent is found to be infested, the infested personnel
should be treated using individual delousing procedures.
-- Weekly inspections should be made by the medical officer in either
case to determine efficacy of the operation.
In areas where the native inhabitants are known to be louse-infested,
personnel should avoid having intimate relationships with them.
c. Individual Delousing.
(1) Body louse. Good personal hygiene, regular changing of clothes, and
effective laundry procedures cannot be over-stressed in controlling this louse.
Personal hygiene, however, is of little value in the absence of
effective clothing treatment.
In addition to regular laundering, uniforms should be impregnated
with permethrin.
A few lice may be harbored in bedding, extra clothing, and
miscellaneous articles such as canvas packs, duffle bags, boxes, and footlockers.
MD0152
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