Pubic lice

You can get pubic lice by having close body contact with an infested person. They crawl from one hair to another; they cannot jump, fly or swim.

Because pubic lice can be passed on through close body contact, it's also common for them to be passed on through sexual contact. Condoms and other methods of contraception cannot protect you from pubic lice.

There isn't enough research to say whether pubic lice can be transferred through items such as clothing, bed linen, towels and toilet seats. However, you may wish to wash or clean such items thoroughly as a precaution if somebody in your household has pubic lice.