• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.141-143
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• 1984

The head louse infestation had been no problem since 1960s in Korea. However, the present study revealed high infestation rate among the primary school children in Seosan-gun, Chungnam Province in July 1983. The cases of louse positive were determined by identifying the adult worms and/or their llits on scalp and hairs. The overall louse positive rate among 615 children examined was 73.5%. The rate was higher in girls (78.8%) than in boys (67.6%) and was highest in 3rd-4th school grades. It was observed that the more the number of family members the higher the infestation rate of children. The positive children were treated with 20% benzyl benzoate solution after the teat for louscidal effect in petri dish. However, establishment of intensive control measure is needed to prevent further infestation.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.85-86
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• 1987

In order to know the prevalence of head louse among the school children in rural area, we visited 3 primary schools and a kindergarten in Sanbuk-myon, Mungyong-gun, Kyongsangbuk-do in July 1985, and examined the children to identify the adult worms of head louse and/or its nits on the hair. The overall infestation rate was 91.9% among 420 children examined, and there was a difference between schools (P<0.05). The school girls' rate, 96.1% was higher than that of boys' 88.9%(P<0.05). By grade, the rate of infant school was 88.5% and 1st to 6th grade were 100, 100, 95.8, 90.4, 89.7, 80.0% respectively. Above result indicates that the head louse is an important health problem in this community. Therefore, the chemotherapy and the effort to improve the hygiene are necessary in this community by physicians, teachers and health administrators.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.349-354
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• 1992

A mass treatment of head louse infestation with SumithrinB powder (0. 4% phenothrin) in primary school children was implemented during the period of September 1991-May 1992. The infestation rate of total 2,515 children was 38.6% in average (21.2 % in boys and 57.5% in girls) . The reduction rate of head louse infestation was 93.4% with a single treatment and 94.8% with double consecutive treatments with about 10 days interval, which indicated that a single treatment would be recommended for the mass treatment in the community. Long term follow-up after Sumithrin powder application for head louse control in a primary school showed that the infestation rate dropped from 33.1% before treatment to 5.4% by seven months after treatment, giving a 83.4% reduction rate. Key words: Mass treatment, Sumithrin powder, head louse, Korea.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.61 no.1
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• pp.53-59
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• 2023

Head louse infestation is a significant public health problem across the world, particularly among preschool and primary schoolchildren. This study investigated the trends of head louse infestation in the Republic of Korea over a 9-year period (2011-2019), targeting primary schoolchildren in 3 areas of Seoul, 4 other large cities, and 9 provinces. A survey was administered annually by the health staff of each regional office (n= 16) of the Korea Association of Health Promotion (KAHP). The branch offices of KAHP examined a total of 51,508 primary schoolchildren, comprising 26,532 boys and 24,976 girls. Over the 9-year survey, a total of 1,107 (2.1%) schoolchildren tested positive for adults and/or nits of Pediculus humanus capitis. The prevalence was 2.8% (133/4,727) in 2011-2012 and gradually decreased to 0.8% (49/6,461) in 2019 (P< 0.05). Head lice were found more frequently in girls (3.0%; 746/24,976) than in boys (1.4%; 361/26,532) (P< 0.05). In terms of geographic localities, the highest infestation rate, 4.7% (average prevalence over 9 years), was observed in southern Seoul (Gangnam branch of KAHP), whereas the lowest infestation rate, 0.7%, was seen in Gyeongsang (north and south provinces) and western Seoul. Although the prevalence decreased significantly during the 9-year period, head louse infestation remains a health and hygiene issue among primary schoolchildren in the Republic of Korea. Regular surveys along with health education are needed to further improve children's hair hygiene.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.273-276
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• 1984

The purpose of this study is to know the present situation of head louse infestation among the students in Ysngyang-gun, Kyongsangbuk-to. From May 11 to June 20, 1984, a total of 5,937 students in 23 primary and 3 middle schools were examined to identify the adult worms of head louse andlor their nits on the hair. The results are as follows: 1, The overall infestation rate was 44.5% and the rates ranged from 19.6% to 88.6%A by each school. 2. In primary schools, the rate was 53.0%A and in middle schools, 27. 1%. 3. The school boys'rate was 33.2% and the school girls'55.6%, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.001) . 4. The rates were different by grades in middle schools. 5. The rates were different by areas (Myons) (p<0.001) . 6. The adult worms collected from the students were Pediculus humanus roar. capitis.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.69-71
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• 1995

From December 1992 to February 1993, all vagrants and children admitted to public welfare facilities supported by the Government of Republic of Korea were examined for the presence of nit, nymph or adult of head louse. Of 36,055 persons examined, the number of positive was 7,393 (20.5%). Intensive control measures are needed to control this ectoparasitic infestation.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.271-276
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• 1989

The prevalence of head louse (Pediculus hamanus var. capitis) infestation in preschool and school children in 9 urban and 8 rural areas of Korea, was investigated. Of 11,865 children who were examined for head lice and nits, 2,900 (24.4%) pere found infested. The over-all infestation rate of rural children, 58.9%, was higher than that of urban children, 14.4%. There also existed significant differences in the infestation rate among various regions of urban as well as rural areas. Females were more infested than males. But there was no difference in infestation rate in either sex of Preschool alee. The infestation rate increased gradually from the age of 6, reached a plateau between 9∼12 years of age and thereafter slowly decreased. The infestation rate of an orphanage children was higher than that of general childhood population. Health education and mass-delousing attempt are urgently required to lower such a high prevalence of head louse infestation in Korea.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.41-43
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• 2000

The infestation status of head louse among children attending primary schools and kindergartens in Chinju-shi, Kyongsangnam-do, Korea, was investigated between June and July 1999. Out of 2,288 children examined, 3.9% of boys (48/1,242) and 23.5% of girls (246/1,046) were infested with nits or adult/nymphs of lice. The effectiveness of lindane shampoo (1% gamma benzene hexachloride solution) was evaluated after one or two time applications to all the children infested. The negative conversion rate of pediculosis was 93.5%. Effective control measures are needed to control and prevent such ectoparasite infestation amongst children.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.377-380
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• 2009

Growing patterns of pediculocidal drug resistance towards head louse laid the foundation for research in exploring novel anti-lice agents from medicinal plants. In the present study, various extracts of Pongamia pinnata leaves were tested against the head louse Pediculus humanus capitis. A filter paper diffusion method was conducted for determining the potential pediculocidal and ovicidal activity of chloroform, petroleum ether, methanol, and water extracts of P. pinnata leaves. The findings revealed that petroleum ether extracts possess excellent anti-lice activity with values ranging between 50.3% and 100% where as chloroform and methanol extracts showed moderate pediculocidal effects. The chloroform and methanol extracts were also successful in inhibiting nymph emergence and the petroleum ether extract was the most effective with a complete inhibition of emergence. Water extract was devoid of both pediculocidal and ovicidal activities. All the results were well comparable with benzoyl benzoate (25% w/v). These results showed the prospect of using P. pinnata leave extracts against P. humanus capitis in difficult situations of emergence of resistance to synthetic anti-lice agents.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.243-244
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• 1995

The survey of the head louse infestation of primary school children in Inchon city was carried out in May 26-27, 1995. Total number of the children surveyed were 1, 530. Four (0.5%) out of 768 boys were infested with nits or adults/nymphs of lice and 72 (9.4%) out of 762 girls were positive with those of lice. The infestation rate of lice for girls was 19 times higher than that of boys.