-
Journal of Ethnobiology and... Jul 2013In Spain, head lice are considered a therapeutic resource for the treatment of jaundice. All folk remedies based on the ingestion of these insects meet in the present... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
In Spain, head lice are considered a therapeutic resource for the treatment of jaundice. All folk remedies based on the ingestion of these insects meet in the present document, previously dispersed among a large number of references.
METHODS
An overview of the Spanish literature has been carried out. The most important databases have been consulted. All related works have been examined.
RESULTS
Although the method of preparation is diverse and the dose varies, the primary recommendation is a transference ritual consisting of taking nine live lice for nine days on an empty stomach without the patient's knowledge. This traditional knowledge survives in Spanish society, and constitutes an example of the interrelation between Spanish and Latin American folk medicines.
CONCLUSIONS
The survival of this therapy in the worldview of certain rural communities suggests the need to take into account the beliefs, ideas and behaviour patterns of popular culture in relation to health and disease.
Topics: Animals; Jaundice; Medicine, Traditional; Pediculus; Spain
PubMed: 23876126
DOI: 10.1186/1746-4269-9-52 -
Parasite (Paris, France) 2018Chemical, physical, and mechanical methods are used to control human lice. Attempts have been made to eradicate head lice Pediculus humanus capitis by hot air, soaking...
Chemical, physical, and mechanical methods are used to control human lice. Attempts have been made to eradicate head lice Pediculus humanus capitis by hot air, soaking in various fluids or asphyxiation using occlusive treatments. In this study, we assessed the maximum time that head lice can survive anoxia (oxygen deprivation) and their ability to survive prolonged water immersion. We also observed the ingress of fluids across louse tracheae and spiracle characteristics contrasting with those described in the literature. We showed that 100% of lice can withstand 8 h of anoxia and 12.2% survived 14 h of anoxia; survival was 48.9% in the untreated control group at 14 h. However, all lice had died following 16 h of anoxia. In contrast, the survival rate of water-immersed lice was significantly higher when compared with non-immersed lice after 6 h (100% vs. 76.6%, p = 0.0037), and 24 h (50.9% vs. 15.9%, p = 0.0003). Although water-immersed lice did not close their spiracles, water did not penetrate into the respiratory system. In contrast, immersion in colored dimeticone/cyclomethicone or colored ethanol resulted in penetration through the spiracles and spreading to the entire respiratory system within 30 min, leading to death in 100% of the lice.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Animals; Biological Assay; Child; Child, Preschool; Dimethylpolysiloxanes; Ethanol; Humans; Lice Infestations; Middle Aged; Oxygen; Pediculus; Siloxanes; Water; Young Adult
PubMed: 29521258
DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2018015 -
PLoS Pathogens 2013
Review
Topics: Animals; Communicable Disease Control; Communicable Diseases; Humans; Insect Vectors; Pediculus
PubMed: 24244157
DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1003724 -
BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.) Jun 2003
Review
Topics: Animals; Health Education; Humans; Insecticides; Lice Infestations; Pediculus; Physical Therapy Modalities; Plant Preparations; Research; Scalp Dermatoses
PubMed: 12791744
DOI: 10.1136/bmj.326.7401.1256 -
Anais Da Academia Brasileira de Ciencias 2022Pediculosis mainly affects school-age children worldwide. The aim of this study was to identify and analyze the knowledge of the parents and guardians of children in...
Pediculosis mainly affects school-age children worldwide. The aim of this study was to identify and analyze the knowledge of the parents and guardians of children in elementary schools in Niterói, Brazil, regarding pediculosis. Questionnaires were applied to 237 guardians of children at five 1-5 grade municipal schools. The responses were analyzed and correlated with positivity to louse infestation, detected by scalp aspiration. 73.8% of the respondents reported that their child had already been infested with lice. 32.9% presented correct responses about transmission. Incorrect responses were attributed to the air/wind, blood type and the fact that lice jump and fly. 40.1% of the respondents erroneously correlated control over the parasitosis with hygiene. A majority of the participants (58.6%) responded that pediculosis is harmful to health, while a small proportion (20.7%) considered it to be a disease. The prevalence of pediculosis was 19.8% among schoolchildren. Female sex, pruritus on the head and indifference regarding infestation were shown to be risk factors for pediculosis. The lack of perception of pediculosis as a disease may lead to naturalization of this parasitosis. Incorrect responses may add difficulty to implementation of preventive and curative approaches, which highlights the importance of dissemination of correct information about pediculosis.
Topics: Animals; Child; Female; Humans; Lice Infestations; Parents; Pediculus; Prevalence; Schools
PubMed: 35730862
DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765202220210337 -
Turkiye Parazitolojii Dergisi Nov 2022The current study provides training to parents and teachers about pediculosis in schools in three villages in Adana to measure their knowledge level by conducting...
OBJECTIVE
The current study provides training to parents and teachers about pediculosis in schools in three villages in Adana to measure their knowledge level by conducting surveys and to determine the prevalence of pediculosis in these foci.
METHODS
Pre- and post-questionnaires including 30 questions about pediculosis were handed to parents and teachers. The answers were analyzed with the Pearson correlation analysis. Overall, 418 school pupils s were examined for lice. The results of the head louse control were analyzed by the chi-square test and t-test.
RESULTS
We observed that the level of awareness increased in parents and teachers. Additionally, the gender of both teachers and parents was determined as the most important factor in increasing this awareness. Because of interventions for the control of head and lice, the prevalence of pediculosis decreased from 15.22% to 1.71%.
CONCLUSION
It is very important that parents and teachers are aware of the health problems related to pediculosis, while regular combing of school children may be essential for the control of this common infestation.
Topics: Child; Humans; Animals; Pediculus; Prevalence; Lice Infestations; Educational Status
PubMed: 36444409
DOI: 10.4274/tpd.galenos.2022.24006 -
Diseases of Aquatic Organisms Oct 2007Adaptation of pinnipeds to the marine habitat imposed parallel evolutions in their parasites. Ancestral pinnipeds must have harboured sucking lice, which were ancestors... (Review)
Review
Adaptation of pinnipeds to the marine habitat imposed parallel evolutions in their parasites. Ancestral pinnipeds must have harboured sucking lice, which were ancestors of the seal louse Echinophthirius horridus. The seal louse is one of the few insects that successfully adjusted to the marine environment. Adaptations such as keeping an air reservoir and the ability to hold on to and move on the host were necessary, as well as an adjustment of their life cycle to fit the diving habits of their host. E. horridus are confined to the Northern Hemisphere and have been reported from 9 species of northern phocids belonging to 4 genera, including land-locked seal species. The transmission from seal to seal is only possible when animals are hauled-out on land or ice. Lice are rarely found on healthy adult seals, but frequently on weak and young animals. The seal louse is suggested to play an important role as an intermediate host transmitting the heartworm Acanthocheilonema spirocauda among seals. However, the evidence is restricted to a single study where the first 3 larval stages of the heartworm were shown to develop in the louse. The fourth-stage larvae develop in the blood system of seals and eventually transform into the adult stage that matures in the heart. Since all other studies failed to confirm the presence of heartworm larvae in seal lice, other unknown intermediate hosts could be involved in the transmission of the heartworm. Transplacental transmission of microfilariae in seals has been suggested as an additional possibility, but is not likely to be important since the occurrence of heartworms in adult seals is very rare compared with juveniles. Furthermore, there are no findings of the first 3 larval stages in seals. This review shows that the heartworm infects nearly the same species of seals as the seal louse, except for the grey seal Halichoerus grypus, where the heartworm is absent. Prevalence and intensity of infection differ among regions in the Northern Hemisphere. As for seal lice, heartworms mainly infect immature seals, and after infection the prevalence seems to decrease with increasing age of the host.
Topics: Animals; Anoplura; Filariasis; Filarioidea; Host-Parasite Interactions; Insect Vectors; Lice Infestations; Seals, Earless
PubMed: 18062474
DOI: 10.3354/dao01823 -
BMC Pediatrics Jun 2015Head lice most commonly affect children, ages 3 to 11. Concerns exist about the safety and efficacy of pesticide-based treatments. Published studies suggest dimethicone...
BACKGROUND
Head lice most commonly affect children, ages 3 to 11. Concerns exist about the safety and efficacy of pesticide-based treatments. Published studies suggest dimethicone is a potentially safe and effective non-toxic treatment, but have not evaluated 100% dimethicone in a pediatric population. The objectives were to evaluate the efficacy and safety of 100% dimethicone for the treatment of head lice in children, monitored by school nurses.
METHODS
This was a multi-site, open-label study of a 100% dimethicone gel for the treatment of head lice in a pediatric population. Children (ages 3-12) suspected of infestation with head lice were evaluated by school nurses at six schools and daycare programs in New York and New Jersey. Inclusion criteria were presence of at least three live lice, or one live louse and 10 viable eggs (eggs found within 1.27 cm of the scalp) and no use of any head lice treatment within four weeks of enrollment. Counts of live lice and viable eggs found in 58 subjects were tracked at baseline (Day 0) and on Day 1, Day 7, and Day 14 after treatment.
RESULTS
After 1 day of treatment with 100% dimethicone, 98.30% of subjects were free of live lice and 55.20% were free of viable eggs. On day 14, 96.50% were still free of live lice, and 80.70% were free of viable eggs. All subjects were monitored by the school nurse at baseline and throughout the study period for adverse effects, including scalp erythema, excoriation, flaking and edema. There was one adverse event of skin irritation lasting 10 min, and no serious adverse events reported. Overall, scalp conditions improved from the baseline: 10 subjects (17.5%) reported mild to moderate scalp erythema on day 1, compared with only one subject (1.7%) on day 14; 8 subjects (14.3%) reported mild scalp excoriation on day 1, with none reporting on day 14.
CONCLUSIONS
100% dimethicone was found to be a safe and highly effective treatment for pediatric head lice. Because dimethicone avoids pesticide exposure and resistance issues, dimethicone should be considered as a first-line treatment for head lice.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
NCT02213055 Date of registration: August 8, 2014. STANDARDS OF REPORTING: The CONSORT 2010 Checklist was consulted during the review of this manuscript. Please note that sections pertaining specifically to randomized controlled trials (RCT's) were not applicable.
Topics: Adolescent; Animals; Antiparasitic Agents; Child; Child, Preschool; Dimethylpolysiloxanes; Erythema; Female; Humans; Lice Infestations; Male; Pediculus; Scalp Dermatoses
PubMed: 26092045
DOI: 10.1186/s12887-015-0381-0 -
The Korean Journal of Parasitology Oct 2018Phthirus pubis usually infests the pubis, groin, buttocks and perianal region. It can sometimes infest the thighs, abdomen, chest, axillae and beard. Eyelashes and... (Review)
Review
Phthirus pubis usually infests the pubis, groin, buttocks and perianal region. It can sometimes infest the thighs, abdomen, chest, axillae and beard. Eyelashes and eyebrows may be involved in children. The involvement of the scalp is very rare. We describe a case of P. pubis infestation located exclusively on the scalp in an adult woman. Neither lice/nits nor skin lesions were observed elsewhere, including eyebrows, eyelashes, axillae, pubis, buttocks and perianal region (the patient was hairless in the axillae and pubis). A review of the literature is enclosed.
Topics: Administration, Topical; Adult; Animals; Dosage Forms; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Humans; Insecticides; Lice Infestations; Phthirus; Piperonyl Butoxide; Pyrethrins; Scalp; Scalp Dermatoses; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 30419734
DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2018.56.5.487 -
BMC Dermatology Jun 2014Lack of guidelines on control of pediculosis in the Solomon Islands led to a search for relevant evidence on head lice in the Pacific Island Countries and Territories... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Lack of guidelines on control of pediculosis in the Solomon Islands led to a search for relevant evidence on head lice in the Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs). The aim of this search was to systematically evaluate evidence in the peer reviewed literature on pediculosis due to head lice (Pediculus humanus var capitis) in the 22 PICTs from the perspective of its value in informing national guidelines and control strategies.
METHODS
PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL and Scopus were searched using the terms (pediculosis OR head lice) AND each of the 22 PICTs individually. PRISMA methodology was used. Exclusion criteria were: i) not on topic; ii) publications on pediculosis not relevant to the country of the particular search; iii) in grey literature.
RESULTS
Of 24 publications identified, only 5 were included. Four related to treatment and one to epidemiology. None contained information relevant to informing national guidelines.
CONCLUSIONS
Current local evidence on head lice in the PICTs is minimal and totally inadequate to guide any recommendations for treatment or control. We recommend that local research is required to generate evidence on: i) epidemiology; ii) knowledge, attitudes and practices of health care providers and community members; iii) efficacy of local commercially available pharmaceutical treatments and local customary treatments; iv) acceptability, accessibility and affordability of available treatment strategies; and iv) appropriate control strategies for families, groups and institutions. We also recommend that operational research be done by local researchers based in the PICTs, supported by experienced head lice researchers, using a two way research capacity building model.
Topics: Animals; Health Services Needs and Demand; Health Services Research; Humans; Lice Infestations; Melanesia; Pacific Islands; Pediculus
PubMed: 24962507
DOI: 10.1186/1471-5945-14-11