Treatment-resistant lice found in California

Most schools on the Central Coast are back in session and pop quizzes aren’t the only things to fear. Head lice, really nasty head lice are making the rounds around the nation. Researchers said the tiny bugs may have formed a new mutation that makes it really tough to kill them.

Three mutations of lice have been found in 25 states, including California, and now parents on the Central Coast worry their kids might get the itch.

Rosie Vargas of Watsonville has a 12 year-old daughter and is concerned about the treatment-resistant lice.

“It’s scary because my daughter has long hair and she likes to wear it down, and it’s like not only going to affect her but it’s going to affect everyone at home because we can get them,” said Vargas.

Years ago the Vargas family got lice when her daughter came home with it from school. She said the process to get rid of the bugs is a pain, everything had to get washed.

“The furniture, the bed, everything the clothing that she might have wore,” said Vargas.

The family used over the counter shampoo products, which range from $8-$20. Health experts are noticing the products just aren’t getting the job done. Watsonville Pharmacy noticed an increase in prescriptions for lice treatment products like Malathion, which costs more than $200. Pharmacist, Jennifer Armstrong said she knows that price is hefty but customers buying over the counter shampoos just keep coming back for re-treatments.

“Good hygiene but you know once the kids go to school it’s really hard to control and it’s really hard to prevent,” said Armstrong.

But Vargas said she already takes preventable measures including putting her own hair up.

“I regularly check her head so I make sure that I find them right before she’s fully infested with a bunch of lice,” said Vargas.

So far her daughters school said they haven’t had any reports of head lice and Vargas hopes it stays that way. Pharmacists said the over the counter shampoos are more plant based and used to paralyze the lice while the prescriptions are more like a pesticide and should only be used under doctors’ orders.