Search Results (8)

Background/Objectives: Head lice is an ever-present public health issue, especially among the child population. The diagnosis of head lice infestation should be based on direct examination of the scalp, but, in practice, this standard is often not followed, giving way to indirect methods, such as questionnaires or sales reports of delousing shampoos. In Poland, there is no national pediculosis capitis control strategy; therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and associated factors of head lice infestation in schools and kindergartens in the years 2021–2023. Methods: Children aged from 3 to 14 years old were directly examined by certified nurses. The same educational institutions were examined across 2021–2023. No personal data of the children were gathered. Results: The prevalence of head lice infestation among children ranged from 8% to 13%, with significantly higher intensity and prevalence observed in girls compared to boys. Conclusions: The prevalence of pediculosis capitis among children in Poland remains persistent and relatively stable over the monitored period. Gender emerged as a significant factor, showing a strong association with both the intensity and extent of head lice infestation. Full article

Pediculus humanus capitis infestation is one of the most underestimated parasitoses still constituting a current epidemiological and social problem. Haematophagous insects, the etiological factor of pediculosis capitis, spread most easily in preschool children, which is determined by social and behavioural aspects. The study aimed to search for factors contributing to pediculosis capitis persistence in kindergartens located in south-eastern Poland. For this purpose, anonymous surveys among the management staff of preschool institutions were conducted. Head lice infestations were reported in 87.0% of the 561 surveyed facilities. A positive correlation was confirmed between the prevalence of head lice and a higher number of children in these facilities. Additionally, in 69.3% of the facilities where cases of pediculosis capitis were reported, it was noted that the infestation was associated with the child’s attendance at preschool. Familial and occupational transmission was observed in 78.5% and 25.2% of the facilities, respectively. In contrast, in 93.2% of preschools where no cases of infestation were reported, all parents consented to periodic head inspections. Parents’ attitudes and their perception of head lice as a health issue, rather than an embarrassing problem, appear to be key factors in effectively limiting the spread of head lice in the studied kindergartens. Full article

The human louse (Pediculus humanus) is an obligatory blood feeding ectoparasite with two ecotypes: the human body louse (Pediculus humanus humanus), a competent vector of several bacterial pathogens, and the human head louse (Pediculus humanus capitis), responsible for pediculosis and affecting millions of people around the globe. GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid) receptors, members of the cys-loop ligand gated ion channel superfamily, are among the main pharmacological targets for insecticides. In insects, there are four subunits of GABA receptors: resistant-to-dieldrin (RDL), glycin-like receptor of drosophila (GRD), ligand-gated chloride channel homologue3 (LCCH3), and 8916 are well described and form distinct phylogenetic clades revealing orthologous relationships. Our previous studies in the human body louse confirmed that subunits Phh-RDL, Phh-GRD, and Phh-LCCH3 are well clustered in their corresponding clades. In the present work, we cloned and characterized a putative new GABA receptor subunit in the human body louse that we named HoCas, for Homologous to Cys-loop α like subunit. Extending our analysis to arthropods, HoCas was found to be conserved and clustered in a new (fifth) phylogenetic clade. Interestingly, the gene encoding this subunit is ancestral and has been lost in some insect orders. Compared to the other studied GABA receptor subunits, HoCas exhibited a relatively higher expression level in all development stages and in different tissues of human body louse. These findings improved our understanding of the complex nature of GABA receptors in Pediculus humanus and more generally in arthropods. Full article

Background and Objectives: Dermatological disorders are highly prevalent among children in Pakistan. The present cross-sectional study aims to identify the spectrum of dermatological conditions among children and adolescents in Pakistan. Materials and Methods: A total of 582 patients (50.9% males; 49.1% females) were included in the study based on their age (5.7 ± 4.1 years), dermatological condition, and epidemiology. The youngest patient was aged ten days, whereas the eldest was seventeen. Age criteria were further stratified into three categories: infants and toddlers (≤5 years), children (≥5 to <12 years), and adolescents (≥12 to <18 years). Amongst them, the majority was from Punjab (81.6%), while the other regions included were Azad Jammu and Kashmir (14.4%), Islamabad (3.3%), and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (0.7%). Results: Scabies was the highest reported skin condition with 281 (45.55%) patients, followed by 114 (19.6%) with eczema, 60 (10.3%) with dermatitis, 33 (5.7%) with tinea capitis, 17 (2.9%) with tinea corporis, 16 (2.7%) with impetigo, and 15 (2.6%) with folliculitis. Other conditions include urticaria, burns, infections, pediculosis, tinea inguinalis, tinea faciei, nappy rashes, alopecia, warts, tinea incognito, tinea cruris, and acne vulgaris. The chi-squared test showed a high prevalence of tinea corporis and acne among adolescents (12–17 years), whereas eczema, dermatitis, and impetigo were more prevalent among infants and toddlers. Conclusions: Pets or livestock and poor hygiene were found to be highly reported risk factors for many dermatological conditions like scabies and fungal infections. Dermatological conditions are common in younger individuals, but unfortunately, many children do not receive the desired medical assistance. Full article

Pediculosis capitis predominantly affects child populations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, various types of social limitations such as social isolation and limitations on educational facilities’ functionalities were introduced worldwide, including in Poland. The impact of these pandemic restrictions on the prevalence of pediculosis capitis has not been extensively investigated so far. Existing data on this topic are limited mainly to indirect evaluation methods, such as online surveys or Internet analysis. In this study, we directly examined a cohort of over five thousand children to assess the influence of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions on the prevalence of head lice infestation among school and kindergarten attendees in Poland. Our findings demonstrate that the restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic led to a decrease in the number of children infested with head lice compared to pre-pandemic data. These results confirm that head lice infestations remain an ongoing epidemiological concern and warrant continued monitoring. Full article

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. Full article

This study aimed to concurrently determine the perceived knowledge, attitudes and perspectives of childcare professionals working in kindergartens towards pediculosis capitis, a common ectoparasitic disease also known as head lice, as well as gain insights into procedures and control measures that are implemented in an outbreak setting. We used a qualitative approach with a problem-centered, semi-structured and three-part interview technique conducted in selected kindergartens of Varaždin and Međimurje counties of the Republic of Croatia. Based on a purposive (deliberate) sampling method, the study included both childcare professionals and on-site health coordinators aged between 21 and 56 years of age. Five main themes were put forth as a result of the conducted thematic analysis: prevention and control measures for managing head lice, information and knowledge, social issues, psychological issues and disease perception. Each of these themes also had specific emerging categories based on participants’ responses. Even though all respondents confirmed that the disease is continuously monitored only a few of them mentioned that a scalp examination was an inherent part of disease surveillance within the kindergarten community. Moreover, we found that information on pediculosis capitis is available to both parents and childcare professionals, but with a questionable uptake. Additionally, the majority of the respondents reported that parents tend to hide the infestation in their children due to shame and/or to avoid social stigma, and thus often fail to inform kindergarten teachers and health coordinators about the problem. In conclusion, our findings have implications for further practice and the introduction of tailored public health measures for the most vulnerable populations, most notably kindergarten children. Full article

Pediculosis, that is the infestation of humans with Pediculus humanus capitis (head lice), poses a worldwide problem that is as old as mankind itself. Over the centuries, man has developed a variety of remedies, all of which have ultimately culminated in the use of chemical agents. Some of these remedies are known to produce successful results. A large portion of the effective remedies used to kill lice and their eggs contain insecticides, but there is an increasing number of reports of head lice populations revealing an increased resistance. This study presents an alternative treatment approach, the efficacy of which is based on physical effects. Cold atmospheric pressure plasmas have successfully shown their formidably wide application range within the field of plasma medicine. This study presents a plasma device in its current stage of development that is engineered as a consumer product to enable an alternative physical and insecticide-free option for the treatment of pediculosis. An efficacy study concerning different developmental stages of P. humanus humanus is presented. P. humanus humanus was chosen as a substitute test organism for P. humanus capitis due to possible laboratory rearing and high anatomic similarity. The study shows how a single stroke of the plasma device over a hair strand (approximately 22 cm in length with a weight of 1.5 g) led to mortality rates of 68.3% (50.0; 79.7) (95% CI) in the juvenile test group, a mortality rate of approx. 67.7% (54.9; 78.8) (95% CI) in the female test group, and approx. 46.7% (28.3; 65.7) (95% CI) in the male test group. When single eggs were introduced directly into the plasma for approx. 1 s, younger eggs (0–2 d) showed a higher mortality of 66.7% (42.7; 82.7) than the older (4–6 d) eggs, with 16.7% (5.6; 34.7) (CI). Furthermore, the results of a risk assessment of the device are described. The article concludes with necessary handling instructions as well as further developmental steps, derived from the results of the efficacy and the risk assessment study. Full article