Having a lousy day? We've got a solution. Scratch your head and grab GIANTmicrobes plush Louse! This adorable representation of this bug provides a fun hands-on-way to learn about health, hair and lice.

All About the Louse (Pediculus Capitis)

FACTS: Lice infestations are one of the most common communicable conditions suffered by children. Nevertheless, as unsanitary conditions are sometimes believed to promote lice, their appearance can quickly put sufferers (not to mention parents and school administrators) in a very hairy situation!

In fact, head lice are generally indifferent to environmental conditions beyond their natural territory, namely the scalp. (Most lice can't even survive for more than a day or so away from heat of the body.) In addition, lice can't fly or jump, so transmission most commonly occurs through direct bodily contact or through sharing of personal items such as combs, hats, sweaters, and towels.

Still, close quarters can certainly contribute to the spread of lice. In the World War I trenches, lice was rampant and soldiers cropped their hair short to try to avoid the "cooties" (a term thought to derive from the Malay word kutu, or biting parasite Louse Plush