While transporting a 28 year old male with a sprained ankle he frequently scratches his scalp. His scalp appears imitated and you notice white and tan specks in his hair. What should you do?

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When you encounter a suspected lice infestation, the main concern is preventing spread to you, your crew, and other patients. Lice are transmitted mainly through close hair-to-hair contact and contaminated belongings, not just through the air. Cleaning and disinfecting the ambulance environment and equipment helps remove any lice or eggs that could be transferred via blankets, clothing, helmets, upholstery, or other items you encounter during transport. This reduces the risk of cross-contamination for subsequent patients and crew.

Quarantining the patient isn’t necessary in this scenario, and providing lice shampoo or relying on extra gloves, while useful as general precautions, doesn’t address environmental contamination as effectively as thorough disinfection.