Head lice?

[hawkeye]

We have a neighbor girl that wants to swim in our pool but she has head lice.Is this safe for my pool and should I advise her not to swim? Will there be lice in the pool?
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[JamesW]

Can I get head lice from a swimming pool?
Head lice are unlikely to be spread through the use of swimming pools. Head lice survive by holding onto hair and, although pool chlorine levels do not kill lice, the lice are not likely to let go when a person's head goes under water.

Head lice can be spread by sharing towels or other items that have been in contact with an infected person's hair. To protect yourself from head lice at the pool, do not share towels, hair brushes, or other items that come into contact with someone else’s hair. If you already have lice, do not swim or wash your hair within 1–2 days of treating it with anti-lice shampoo — these actions will make the treatment less effective.

For more information on head lice, please visit CDC's Lice page.

http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/swimming/faq/

Can swimming spread lice?
Data show that head lice can survive under water for several hours but are unlikely to be spread by the water in a swimming pool. Head lice have been seen to hold tightly to human hair and not let go when submerged under water. Chlorine levels found in pool water do not kill head lice.

Head lice may be spread by sharing towels or other items that have been in contact with an infested person's hair, although such spread is uncommon. Children should be taught not to share towels, hair brushes, and similar items either at poolside or in the changing room.

Swimming or washing the hair within 1-2 days after treatment with some head lice medicines might make some treatments less effective. Seek the advice of your health care provider or health department if you have questions.
http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/lice/head/ ... /faqs.html

No loss of lice or head to head transfer was observed. These results indicated that although head lice survive immersion, head lice transmission is unlikely to occur via the water of swimming pools.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17988347

Can you catch head lice in a pool, pond or lake?

Swimming with someone who has lice carries no greater risk of transmission than any other activity, nor will the water affect the infestation. When lice are in water they go into a state of suspended animation but remain firmly locked onto the hair – literally hanging on for dear life. Lice or nits that might detach in a swimming pool would likely be removed by the pool filter or otherwise perish before contacting another person. Closing a swimming pool because of lice is not indicated. Risks of transmission will occur, however, with the sharing and piling of towels, storing other personal items and clothing in close proximity, and direct head to head contact.

http://khs.westport.k12.ct.us/eisenberg ... mation.htm