Ectoparasite detection method

A method of detecting arthropod ectoparasite eggs affixed to a host, said method comprising:

• (a) washing the host suspected of being infested with arthropod ectoparasite eggs with a solution containing a chitin-binding dye which fluoresces under a fluorescence-exciting light, said washing lasting for a predetermined time sufficient to stain the eggs but not tissues of the host;
• (b) rinsing the solution from the host so as to substantially remove the dye from the host but selectively allow at least some of the dye to remain bound to any said stained arthropod ectoparasite eggs;
• (c) illuminating the host with fluorescence-exciting light in order to illuminate any said stained arthropod ectoparasite eggs and thereby cause the dye bound thereto to visibly fluoresce;
• and
• (d) examining said illuminated host wherein the presence of visibly fluorescing stained eggs indicates arthropod egg infestation of the host.

A method of detecting arthropod ectoparasites and/or arthropod ectoparasite eggs while the ectoparasites and/or eggs are infesting a host, said method comprising:

• a) applying a solution comprising a shampoo and a dye to a host suspected of being infested with arthropod ectoparasites and/or arthropod ectoparasite eggs, said dye comprising a chitin-binding dye which fluoresces under fluorescence-exciting light, under conditions sufficient to bind at least some of the dye in the applied solution to any said ectoparasites and eggs present on the host and thereby stain any said ectoparasites and eggs but not tissues of the host;
• b) rinsing the solution from the host so as to substantially remove the shampoo and dye from the host but selectively allow at least some of the dye to remain bound to any said stained ectoparasites and eggs;
• c) illuminating the host with fluorescence-exciting light in order to illuminate any said stained ectoparasites and eggs and thereby cause the dye bound thereto to visibly fluoresce;
• and
• d) examining said illuminated host wherein the presence of visibly fluorescing stained ectoparasites and/or visibly fluorescing stained eggs indicates arthropod ectoparasite infestation of the host.