What Makes One Louse Able to Survive Treatment with Permethrin

Question

What makes one louse able to survive treatment with permethrin and another louse unable to survive?
A) A genetic variation in the louse population allows some lice to be resistant to permethrin.
B) A louse exposed to low levels of permethrin will eventually become resistant.
C) The parents of a louse exposed to permethrin will result in offspring becoming resistant.
D) A louse exposed to other anti-lice treatments will become resistant to all anti-lice treatments.

Accepted Answer

The most likely reason that some lice can survive treatment with permethrin while others cannot is a genetic variation in the louse population that allows some lice to be resistant to permethrin. This is a common phenomenon with many anti-parasitic treatments, and it underscores the importance of monitoring the development of resistance in parasite populations.