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Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and... 2024
Topics: Humans; Lice Infestations
PubMed: 38314704
DOI: 10.1177/12034754241229088 -
The New England Journal of Medicine Jan 2024
Topics: Animals; Humans; Lice Infestations; Phthirus; Genitalia
PubMed: 38226842
DOI: 10.1056/NEJMicm2303713 -
Health Science Reports Nov 2023Head lice is a public health problem of worldwide distribution, particularly among school children and girls. Head lice infestation (HLI) can lead to negative social and...
BACKGROUND AND AIMS
Head lice is a public health problem of worldwide distribution, particularly among school children and girls. Head lice infestation (HLI) can lead to negative social and psychological outcomes such as distress and anxiety in children and their families. Hence, the present study aimed to investigate the role of cognitive-behavioral factors in its spread and prevention among adolescent girls.
METHODS
The cross-sectional study was conducted among 276 school-aged adolescent girls from September 2022 to January 2023 in Herris, a city located in Northwest Iran. A multistage cluster random sample was used to recruit adolescent girls in secondary schools. Two schools were randomly selected from five secondary schools. Then, students in each school were randomly selected from a school list. Data were collected using a valid and reliable questionnaire.
RESULTS
The high protective behaviors were significantly associated with the number of family members ( = 0.158; value = 0.012). An additional 21.8% of the variation in preventive behaviors was explained by cognitive factors as predictor variables ( value > 0.05). Perceived collective family efficacy, perceived barriers, perceived self-efficacy, and response efficacy were predictors of head lice preventive behaviors, respectively. Among all variables, perceived collective family efficacy was the strongest predictor.
CONCLUSIONS
The findings of current research support the determinants of the cognitive-behavioral factors in the spread and prevention of HLI. It is better to involve these factors in school-based educational programs by policymakers and healthcare providers.
PubMed: 37927538
DOI: 10.1002/hsr2.1679 -
Diseases of Aquatic Organisms Sep 2023Sea lice are a key limitation to sustainable salmon aquaculture, and effective monitoring strategies are critical for the management of these parasites. Sentinel cages...
Sea lice are a key limitation to sustainable salmon aquaculture, and effective monitoring strategies are critical for the management of these parasites. Sentinel cages are an established means of assessing infestation pressure at fixed locations, but as smolts move through systems they will be exposed to varying lice densities. As a means of assessing infestation pressure along trajectories, we describe the development and application of towed sentinel cages (TSCs) in a Scottish sea loch containing salmonid aquaculture. Trial deployments took place over 3 yr (2016-2018), and levels of sea lice infestation were compared between methodologies. Oceanographic data was collected alongside TSCs to put the results into the environmental context that smolts and sea lice experienced during the tows. The sea lice infestation rates found from TSCs were comparable to those on contemporaneously deployed fixed sentinel cages. Thus, due to their practicability and consistency with other surveillance methods, TSCs could be used to improve the assessment of exposure risk along wild salmonid smolt migration trajectories, where these are known.
Topics: Animals; Salmo salar; Copepoda; Lice Infestations; Aquaculture
PubMed: 37706647
DOI: 10.3354/dao03748 -
The Journal of Parasitology Dec 2023This study examined the population structure of head and body lice infesting a random sample of people in Pokhara, Nepal during 2003, 2004, and 2005. A total of 106...
This study examined the population structure of head and body lice infesting a random sample of people in Pokhara, Nepal during 2003, 2004, and 2005. A total of 106 participants (6 to 72 yr old, median = 12) volunteered to have lice collected from their heads and clothing. Most participants (70%) harbored only head lice, some (15%) had only body lice, and some (15%) had concurrent infestations of head and body lice (dual infestations). A total of 1,472 lice was collected. Significantly more nymphs were collected than adult lice. Louse populations were generally small (geometric mean = 8.8 lice per person) but a few participants harbored larger louse populations (maximum = 65 lice). People with dual infestations harbored significantly more lice than people with single infestations; however, there was no difference in the infestation intensities between people infested with head lice only vs. those infested with body lice only. Male participants harbored significantly more lice than did females. There were no significant differences in infestation intensity due to participant age or their socioeconomic level. The sex ratio of adult lice was increasingly female biased with increasing adult louse density. Infection of lice with Bartonella quintana was low (ca. 1.5%). Pediculosis is a common problem in urban Nepal.
Topics: Animals; Adult; Humans; Male; Female; Lice Infestations; Pediculus; Bartonella quintana; Nepal; Nymph
PubMed: 38018745
DOI: 10.1645/23-64 -
Cureus Sep 2023The review has been done to find out the best-suited treatment modality for pediculosis capitis. Pediatric patients frequently experience pediculosis capitis, a head... (Review)
Review
The review has been done to find out the best-suited treatment modality for pediculosis capitis. Pediatric patients frequently experience pediculosis capitis, a head louse infestation brought on by the Pediculus humanus var. capitis. The primary sign of head lice infestation is a scratchy scalp, and the presence of living nits confirms this diagnosis. When a doctor diagnoses pediculosis as a primary bacterial infection, a bacterial impetignization and secondary infection, and cervical and occipital lymphadenopathy might make the clinical diagnosis more difficult. A proper therapy of pediculosis requires screening and treatment of all close contacts. The careful use of topical pediculicidal treatments, especially permethrin lotion and wet combing with a fine tooth comb, is required for the medical treatment of a head louse infestation. We've tried to outline the key points of treating head lice infestations. There are several treatment alternatives suggested, including over-the-counter permethrin and pyrethrin as well as prescription medications including malathion, lindane, benzyl alcohol, and spinosad.
PubMed: 37829988
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.45028 -
Turkiye Parazitolojii Dergisi Jun 2023Head lice infestation (HLI), caused by , is an important public health problem worldwide, especially in primary school children. The aim of this study is to investigate...
OBJECTIVE
Head lice infestation (HLI), caused by , is an important public health problem worldwide, especially in primary school children. The aim of this study is to investigate HLI level, related factors, and families' knowledge levels and attitudes about HLI in two primary schools in a relatively low socio-economic region in İstanbul.
METHODS
A questionnaire on HLI was developed initially and delivered to all children and parents in the school. A total of 340 primary school students, aged between 6-12, were enrolled in the study after the consent of their parents. Their hair were examined for HLI with special combs at their schools, and free anti-lice shampoos were given to parents of positive children. A total of 951 completed questionnaires were received and evaluated with chi-square test using the SPSS 17.0 program, and the differences of p<0.05 were considered significant.
RESULTS
Number of boys in the study was slightly higher than the girls (176 vs. 164). HLI was detected in 32 (9.4%) of 340 children; seven had live adult lice on their hair while 25 had only the nits. HLI was obviously more common in girls (16.4%), compared to boys (2.8%). Analysis of 951 questionnaires revealed a statistically significant difference between HLI and infrequent bathing (p<0.05). The differences between HLI and the education levels of parents, income, the number of siblings and in contact with animals were not found to be significant (p>0.05).
CONCLUSION
HLI is still a common health problem, especially in girls in primary schools. Parents are aware of the relationship between the hygiene and prevention against HLI, but low socio-economic resources seem to be important determinants. Regular combing and training activities in primary schools, in coordination with the local authorities and parents are no doubt useful in reducing the incidence of HLI among the children.
Topics: Animals; Lice Infestations; Prevalence; Pediculus; Schools; Epidemiologic Studies; Scalp Dermatoses
PubMed: 37249115
DOI: 10.4274/tpd.galenos.2023.84803 -
Veterinary Parasitology, Regional... Sep 2023The knowledge of lice associated with small ruminants, especially sheep and goats, is scarce. In Mexico, there are historical reports of six species of chewing and...
The knowledge of lice associated with small ruminants, especially sheep and goats, is scarce. In Mexico, there are historical reports of six species of chewing and sucking lice associated with Capra hircus and Ovis canadensis. However, the reports did not analyze the ecology of the infestations or the presence of potentially pathogenic bacteria. For this reason, the objectives of this study were i) to identify the species of lice associated with sheep and goats in three states of the Mexican Republic, ii) to characterize the infestations, and iii) to identify the presence of bacterial pathogens. From October 2019 to August 2021, six ranches with sheep and goats were sampled in the states of Hidalgo and Veracruz. Hosts were visually inspected, and lice were retrieved with forceps. The specimens were sexed and identified using morphological taxonomic keys. DNA extraction was performed individually, and a fragment of the cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 gene (COI) was amplified for the molecular identification of the specimens. Subsequently, Anaplasma, Bartonella, Ehrlichia, Mycoplasma, and Rickettsia were molecularly detected. Additionally, the infestations were characterized by calculating the prevalence and mean abundances. We collected 563 specimens of three species, Bovicola caprae, Bovicola ovis, and Linognathus africanus. The highest infestation levels were recorded for B. ovis (66.7%; 4.4) from Veracruz. Additionally, two Bartonella species were detected: Bartonella mellophagi in B. ovis and Bartonella capreoli in L. africanus. In contrast, Mycoplasma ovis was detected exclusively in one pool of B. ovis. This study provides new bacterial-ectoparasite associations and highlights the possible role of these neglected ectoparasites as vectors in the populations of sheep and goats from Mexico.
Topics: Sheep; Animals; Goats; Mexico; Anoplura; Bartonella; Ischnocera; Mycoplasma
PubMed: 37652638
DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2023.100921