• Applied Microscopy
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• 제44권2호
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• pp.47-52
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• 2014

Fine structural characteristics of eggs (nits) found on the scalp hairs of Korean children were observed with scanning electron microscopy. An egg is structurally composed of four parts: the cementum, nit body, operculum, and aerophyle. The total length of an egg is about 1.5 mm. The glue secreted from the female louse completely surrounds the 1 mm hair shaft and forms the cementum. The thickness of the cementum at the end of the nit body was found to be more than 5 times the thickness at the end toward the scalp. The nit body is shaped like a goblet with a very smooth surface. The operculum and aerophyles are located at the apiculus area. In the circular operculum, there are 10 aerophyles concentrated on the side of the hair shaft surface that are shaped like a dome. Three aerophyles in the center are surrounded by 7 aerophyles. Each aerophyle is dome shaped with a diameter of $65{\mu}m$ and a respiratory pathway with a $15{\sim}25{\mu}m$ opening at the center. On the cut surface where the operculum is separated as the egg hatches, long grooves about $1{\mu}m$ thick are uniformly formed transversely. These long grooves facilitate the separation of the operculum through body expansion at the time of hatching.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제27권4호
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• pp.271-276
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• 1989

우리 나라 대도시와 농촌 지역 어린이의 머릿니 감염 실대를 알아보기 위하여 1988년 5일 부터 1989년 10월까지 서을 시내 8개 지역, 장승포시 및 농촌 지역 8군데 등 총 17개 지역 내에 소 재한 28개소의 유치원, 국민학교 및 중학교에 재학중인 어린이에 대하여 머릿니 감염 여부를 조사 하였다. 총 피검자 11,865명 중 2,900명이 감염되어 평균 감염률은 24.4%이었으며, 도시 지역보다 농촌 지역 아동의 머릿니 감염률이 월등히 높았다. 유치원 연령을 제외한 모든 연령에서 남자보다 여자의 감염률이 높았으며, 머릿니의 감염률이 가장 높은 연령은 9∼12세(국민학교 3∼6학년)이었다. 앞으로 머릿니 구제를 위한 보건 교육 및 집단 관리 대책이 조속히 마련되어야 할 것으로 판단 된다.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제41권1호
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• pp.57-61
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• 2003

Total of 7,495 children including 3,908 boys and 3,587 girls from a kindergarten and 15 primary schools were examined for head lice infestation (HLI). The overall prevalence of HLI in this study was found to be 5.8%. Head lice were much more commonly detected in girls than in boys with prevalence of 11.2% and 0.9%, respectively. Sixty-nine children with HLI were treated with 1% lindane shampoo alone (group 1), and 45 children with HLI were treated with 1% lindane shampoo and oral trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (group 2), and follow-up visits were conducted 2 and 4 weeks later, The children who still had HLI 2 weeks after the primary treatment were treated again. At the 2-week follow-up visit, the treatment success rates of groups I and 2 were 76.8% and 80.7%, respectively, and at the 4-week follow-up visit, the rates were 91.3% and 97.8%, respectively. No statistically significant synergistic effect was observed for the combination of a 1% lindane shampoo and oral trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제31권1호
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• pp.67-70
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• 1993

강원도내 국민학생들에게서 머릿니 감염상황을 알아보기 위하여 1990년 12월 도내 4개 국민학교에서 성충이나 서캐 감염 여부를 조사하였다. 912명의 대상 학생들 가운데 37.2%가 성충이나 서캐에 감염되어 있었다. 270명에서는 성충 및 서캐 감염을 구분하여 조사하였는데, 서캐만 발견된 경우가 36.3%, 성충만 발견된 경우 1.5%, 둘다 보인 경우가 21.9%로 머릿니 성충 감염율은 23.3% 이었다. 어떠한 구제법도 시행하지 알고 6개월 뒤 재조사한 한 학교에서 감염율이 처음 66.0% 에서 57.3%로 나타나 유의한 차이가 얼었다. 이러한 현상은 고도 감염집단에서 짧은 기간 동안 화학요법 시행 없이 자연적인 감염율의 감소를 기대하기 어려움을 잘 보여준다. 머릿니 감염의 역학에서 충체 양성율이 한 집단에서 직접적인 전파력을 표현하는 지수로 중요하다고 판단한다.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제49권1호
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• pp.95-98
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• 2011

Head louse infestation (HLI) is one of the most frequently occurring parasitic diseases in children. This study was conducted to investigate the socioeconomic and personal factors influencing HLI in the Republic of Korea. A total of 2,210 questionnaires about various factors related to HLI were obtained from children in 17 primary schools throughout the country. The rate of HLI was significantly lower in children who lived together with mother or in a family where both parents worked. In addition, HLI was lower in children whose fathers or mothers were public officers or teachers. However, HLI was higher in children who had small families and washed their hair less often. Education levels of parents and the number of children in family were not significant. Improvement of socioeconomic factors and personal hygiene will be helpful for reducing HLI.