Parasites, Hosts and Diseases

The Korea Society for Parasitology and Tropical Medicine (대한기생충학·열대의학회)
권호 표지

Prevalence of pediculosis and scabies in preschool nursery children of Afyon, Turkey

  • Published : 2006.03.01
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Scabies and pediculosis are ubiquitous, contagious, and debilitating parasitic dermatoses. The tendency of high prevalence of pediculosis and scabies among school and preschool age children has prompted us to conduct a head louse and scabies prevalence survey among preschool nursery children in our district. A school-based, crosssectional study was performed, with 1,134 children chosen for evaluation. All cases were evaluated by physical examination and a detailed, structured questionnaire. The infestation was found in 14 $(1.2\%)$ of 1,134 children; 9 $(0.8\%)$ with pediculosis capitis and 5 $(0.4\%)$ with scabies. We found that infestations were more frequent in children with mothers whose education levels were low. This indicates the necessity of an improvement in the economic and sociocultural status of the community and the promotion of hygiene concepts and practices in order to improve health of preschool age children.

Keywords

References

  1. Arene FO, Ukaulor AL (1985) Prevalence of head louse (Pediculus capitis) infestation among inhabitants of Niger Delta. Trop Med Parasitol 36: 140-142
  2. Borges R, Mendes J (2002) Epidemiological aspects of head lice in children attending day care centres, urban and rural schools in Uberlandia, central Brazil. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 97: 189-192 https://doi.org/10.1590/S0074-02762002000200007
  3. Cetinkaya Z, Altindis M, Kulac M, Karaca S, Piyade M (2004) Prevalence of Pediculus capitis in primary schools in Afyon and treatment with permethrin. Acta Parasitol Turcica 28: 215-217
  4. Chosidow O (2000) Scabies and pediculosis. Lancet 355: 819-826 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(99)09458-1
  5. Combescot C (1990) Current epidemiology of pediculosis capitis. Bull Acad Natl Med 174: 231-236
  6. Downs AM, Stafford KA, Stewart GH, Coles GC (2000) Factors that may be influencing the prevalence of head lice in Brititsh school children. Pediatr Dermatol 17: 72-74 https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1525-1470.2000.00011-3.x
  7. Fan PC, Chao D, Lee KM, Chan CH, Liu HY (1991) Chemotherapy of head louse (Pediculus humanus capitis) infestation of gamma benzene hexachloride (gammaBHC) among school children in Szu-Hu District, Yunlin County, Central West Taiwan. Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi (Taipei) 48: 13-19
  8. Kokturk A, Baz K, Bugdayci R, Sasmaz T, Tursen D, Kaya TI, Ikizoglu G (2003) The prevalence of pediculosis capitis in schoolchildren in Mersin, Turkey. Int J Dermatol 42: 694-698 https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-4362.2003.01836.x
  9. Takano-Lee M, Edman JD, Mullens BA, Clark JM (2004) Home remedies to control head lice: assessment of home remedies to control the human head louse, Pediculus humanus capitis (Anoplura: Pediculidae). J Pediatr Nurs 19: 393-398 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedn.2004.11.002
  10. Mumcuoglu KY, Miller J, Gofin R, Adler B, Ben-Ishai F, Almog R, Kafke D, Klaus S (1990) Epidemiological studies on head lice infestation in Israel. I. Parasitological examination of children. Int J Dermatol. 29: 502-506 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-4362.1990.tb04845.x
  11. Onlen Y, Akcali C, Yigit H, Savas L, Culha G, Seraslan G, Savas N, Onlen Y (2004) Hatay il merkezinde ilkogretim okullannda scabies sikhgt. Klim Derg 17: 193-195
  12. Ozcan A, Dogan G, Senol M, Yakici C, Sahin S, Yologlu S (1996) The Prevalence of pediculosis capitis and scabies among students of primary schools in Malatya. Acta Parasitol Turcica 20: 61-65
  13. Speare R, Buettner PG (1999) Head lice in pupils of a primary school in Australia and implications for control. Int J Dermatol 38: 285-290 https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-4362.1999.00680.x