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World Journal of Clinical Cases Nov 2021Crab lice () infestation can occur at any age, to either males or females, and across all regions of the world. However, cases involving the eyelashes and adjacent...
BACKGROUND
Crab lice () infestation can occur at any age, to either males or females, and across all regions of the world. However, cases involving the eyelashes and adjacent eyelids (phthiriasis palpebrarum) are rare. Usually occurring as a sexually transmitted disease, crab lice can be spread by poor hygiene or in a dirty environment through direct contact with contaminated skin (hands) or textiles (towels and clothing).
CASE SUMMARY
A 50-year-old woman presented to our hospital with a 2-wk history of chronic eyelid pain and itching in the right eye, which exacerbated in the evening hours and which had not resolved following a 1-wk course of antibiotics and corticosteroid ointments (for blepharitis diagnosis from another hospital). A careful ophthalmic slit-lamp and light microscope examination revealed multiple crab lice and nits on the right upper eyelashes; the right and left lower eyelashes were normal. Following the new diagnosis of phthiriasis palpebrarum, the patient was treated by removing the affected eyelashes, the crab lice, and their nits completely. Additionally, the eyelids were washed once with povidone-iodine. A follow-up examination at 2 wk later showed complete resolution of symptoms and no evidence of re-infection.
CONCLUSION
This case emphasizes the importance of correct diagnosis and complete removal of eyelashes, crab lice and nits to cure phthiriasis palpebrarum.
PubMed: 34904106
DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v9.i33.10323 -
Open Access Macedonian Journal of... Oct 2019Pediculosis is a global problem in public health. An important factor in the efficient eradication of lice is ensuring adequate recognition and treatment of the disease...
Pediculosis is a global problem in public health. An important factor in the efficient eradication of lice is ensuring adequate recognition and treatment of the disease by the population. In the present study, awareness of the population about the physiological properties of head lice, the ways of infestation with head lice, and the methods of treatment and prevention were studied. Perception of the disease by the people who had had head pediculosis and other people around them was identified.
PubMed: 31949523
DOI: 10.3889/oamjms.2019.699 -
The Korean Journal of Parasitology Oct 2019Head-lice infestation, pediculosis capitis, remains a public-health burden in many countries. The widely used first-line pediculicides and alternative treatments are...
Head-lice infestation, pediculosis capitis, remains a public-health burden in many countries. The widely used first-line pediculicides and alternative treatments are often too costly for use in poor socio-economic settings. Ivermectin has been considered an alternate treatment for field practice. This study was composed of 2 parts, a cross-sectional survey and an intervention study. The main objectives were to determine the prevalence and potential factors associated with head-lice infestation, and to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of oral ivermectin administration. A community-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among 890 villagers in rural areas along Thai-Myanmar border. Females with infestations were eligible for the intervention study, and 181 participated in the intervention study. A post-treatment survey was conducted to assess acceptance of ivermectin as a treatment choice. Data analysis used descriptive statistics and a generalized-estimation-equation model adjusted for cluster effect. The study revealed the prevalence of head-lice infestation was 50% among females and only 3% among males. Age stratification showed a high prevalence among females aged <20 years, and among 50% of female school-children. The prevalence was persistent among those with a history of infestation. The major risk factors were residing in a setting with other infected cases, and sharing a hair comb. The study also confirmed that ivermectin was safe and effective for field-based practice. It was considered a preferable treatment option. In conclusion, behavior-change communication should be implemented to reduce the observed high prevalence of headlice infestation. Ivermectin may be an alternative choice for head-lice treatment, especially in remote areas.
Topics: Administration, Oral; Adolescent; Adult; Animals; Child; Female; Humans; Insecticides; Ivermectin; Lice Infestations; Male; Middle Aged; Pediculus; Rural Population; Thailand; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult
PubMed: 31715690
DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2019.57.5.499 -
Reviews in Aquaculture Mar 2023Disease and parasitism cause major welfare, environmental and economic concerns for global aquaculture. In this review, we examine the status and potential of... (Review)
Review
Disease and parasitism cause major welfare, environmental and economic concerns for global aquaculture. In this review, we examine the status and potential of technologies that exploit genetic variation in host resistance to tackle this problem. We argue that there is an urgent need to improve understanding of the genetic mechanisms involved, leading to the development of tools that can be applied to boost host resistance and reduce the disease burden. We draw on two pressing global disease problems as case studies-sea lice infestations in salmonids and white spot syndrome in shrimp. We review how the latest genetic technologies can be capitalised upon to determine the mechanisms underlying inter- and intra-species variation in pathogen/parasite resistance, and how the derived knowledge could be applied to boost disease resistance using selective breeding, gene editing and/or with targeted feed treatments and vaccines. Gene editing brings novel opportunities, but also implementation and dissemination challenges, and necessitates new protocols to integrate the technology into aquaculture breeding programmes. There is also an ongoing need to minimise risks of disease agents evolving to overcome genetic improvements to host resistance, and insights from epidemiological and evolutionary models of pathogen infestation in wild and cultured host populations are explored. Ethical issues around the different approaches for achieving genetic resistance are discussed. Application of genetic technologies and approaches has potential to improve fundamental knowledge of mechanisms affecting genetic resistance and provide effective pathways for implementation that could lead to more resistant aquaculture stocks, transforming global aquaculture.
PubMed: 38504717
DOI: 10.1111/raq.12733 -
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 Mar 2021Phthiriasis palpebrarum is a rare eyelid infestation caused by (pubic lice) that is often confused with other causes of blepharoconjunctivitis. In this study, we report...
Phthiriasis palpebrarum is a rare eyelid infestation caused by (pubic lice) that is often confused with other causes of blepharoconjunctivitis. In this study, we report the case of a 49-year-old male patient with phthiriasis palpebrarum who presented with itching and eye irritation in the left eye and had undergone treatment for conjunctivitis in the past month. Biomicroscopic examination revealed a dense population of motile and translucent lice and eggs, more intensely on the upper lid. For treatment, the lice were first cleaned mechanically, eyelashes were cut from the bottom, and eggs and lice were removed from the eye, after which petrolatum jelly (vsaseline) was applied to the lids for 10 days. In the control examination, no lice and eggs were observed.
Topics: Animals; Blepharitis; Eyelashes; Humans; Lice Infestations; Male; Middle Aged; Petrolatum; Phthirus; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 33685072
DOI: 10.4274/tpd.galenos.2020.6937 -
JAAD Case Reports Apr 2022
PubMed: 35330983
DOI: 10.1016/j.jdcr.2022.02.011 -
Vaccines Jul 2022The sea louse genome has opened the opportunity to apply the reverse vaccinology strategy for identifying antigens with potential effects on lice development and its...
The sea louse genome has opened the opportunity to apply the reverse vaccinology strategy for identifying antigens with potential effects on lice development and its application in sea lice control. This study aimed to explore the efficacy of three sea lice vaccines against the early stage of infestation, assessing the transcriptome modulation of immunized Atlantic salmon. Therein, three experimental groups of (Atlantic salmon) were vaccinated with the recombinant proteins: Peritrophin (prototype A), Cathepsin (prototype B), and the mix of them (prototype C), respectively. Sea lice infestation was evaluated during chalimus I-II, the early-infective stages attached at 7-days post infestation. In parallel, head kidney and skin tissue samples were taken for mRNA Illumina sequencing. Relative expression analyses of genes were conducted to identify immune responses, iron transport, and stress responses associated with the tested vaccines during the early stages of sea lice infection. The vaccine prototypes A, B, and C reduced the parasite burden by 24, 44, and 52% compared with the control group. In addition, the RNA-Seq analysis exhibited a prototype-dependent transcriptome modulation. The high expression differences were observed in genes associated with metal ion binding, molecular processes, and energy production. The findings suggest a balance between the host's inflammatory response and metabolic process in vaccinated fish, increasing their transcriptional activity, which can alter the early host-parasite interactions. This study uncovers molecular responses produced by three vaccine prototypes at the early stages of infestation, providing new knowledge for sea lice control in the salmon aquaculture.
PubMed: 35891227
DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10071063 -
Journal of Clinical Medicine Jan 2022Pediculosis capitis is a current and neglected health issue worldwide. The lack of screening programs contributes to the marginalization of the problem and delays...
Pediculosis capitis is a current and neglected health issue worldwide. The lack of screening programs contributes to the marginalization of the problem and delays therapeutic measures. Our study aimed to analyze the occurrence of this parasitosis in primary schools in Poland and to determine factors contributing to the persistence of its foci. The research tools were two questionnaires: one for primary school children and the other for school managers. While children answered questions about the epidemiology of pediculosis capitis and expressed their opinion on the hygienic condition of infested persons, the school directors were asked about the occurrence of head lice in schools, preventive measures, and institutions supporting schools in combating the infestation. The survey covered the period 2014-2018. Pediculosis capitis was reported in 87.5% of the schools. The greatest number of cases was reported in the group of 6-9 year-olds (68%). Among 4970 children, 16.7% had no knowledge of head lice; however, 57.1% wanted to increase their awareness of the problem. Campaigns on lice were conducted mainly as a result of emerging pediculosis capitis cases, and most schools could not rely on institutional support. Screening programs and preventive educational campaigns should be part of pediculosis capitis control in Poland.
PubMed: 35160233
DOI: 10.3390/jcm11030783 -
Infectious Disease Modelling 2020are human ectoparasites which cause infestations, mostly in children, worldwide. Understanding the life cycle of head lice is an important step in knowing how to treat...
are human ectoparasites which cause infestations, mostly in children, worldwide. Understanding the life cycle of head lice is an important step in knowing how to treat lice infestations, as the parasite behavior depends considerably on its age and gender. In this work we propose a mathematical model for head lice population dynamics in hosts who could be or not quarantined and treated. Considering a lice population structured by age and gender we formulate the model as a system of hyperbolic PDEs, which can be reduced to compartmental systems of delay or ordinary differential equations. Besides studying fundamental properties of the model, such as existence, uniqueness and nonnegativity of solutions, we show the existence of (in certain cases multiple) equilibria at which the infestation persists on the host's head. Aiming to assess the performance of treatments against head lice infestations, by mean of computer experiments and numerical simulations we investigate four possible treatment strategies. Our main results can be summarized as follows: (i) early detection is crucial for quick and efficient eradication of lice infestations; (ii) dimeticone-based products applied every 4 days effectively remove lice in at most three applications even in case of severe infestations and (iii) minimization of the reinfection risk, e.g. by mean of synchronized treatments in families/classrooms is recommended.
PubMed: 32695941
DOI: 10.1016/j.idm.2020.05.002