More than skin deep: Severe iron deficiency anemia and eosinophilia associated with pediculosis capitis and corporis infestation

Woodruff, Carina M.; Chang, Aileen Y.

doi:10.1016/j.jdcr.2019.03.001

Cited by 19 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Eosinophilia has been reported previously in a small number of case reports, and it has been observed in skin biopsies from patients with bed bugs [26,27,28,29]. Similarly, mice that were fed on by bed bugs had higher eosinophil, basophil, and monocyte counts [30], and eosinophilia have been reported with Pediculus humanus capitis (head lice) and Pediculus humanus corporis (body lice) infestations, consistent with our findings [31].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Investigating the association of bed bugs with infectious diseases: A retrospective case-control study

Sheele

Libertin

Pritt

et al. 2021

Heliyon

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Bed bugs are common urban pests. Unlike many other blood-feeding human ectoparasites, bed bugs are not known to be vectors of human infectious diseases, but clinical and epidemiological studies to directly interrogate this link have been limited. Here, we aimed to determine whether bed bugs were associated with infectious diseases in a set of infested patients presenting to emergency departments (ED) in the greater Cleveland, OH area. We performed a retrospective case-control study involving 332 ED patients with bed bugs and 4,952 control patients, seen from February 1, 2011, through February 1, 2017. Cases and controls were matched by age, sex, and the presenting ED. Additionally, data were adjusted for !20 sociodemographic variables, triage data, and comorbidities in multivariable regression analyses. Seventeen laboratory values, ten different ED and inpatient diagnoses, chest radiographs, infectious disease consults, and blood cultures were examined. The odds of bed bug infestation were significantly higher for patients that had positive blood cultures, had blood cultures growing coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, were diagnosed with pneumonia, were diagnosed with cellulitis, received an infectious disease consult, received a chest radiograph, and had higher percentages of eosinophils in the blood (P < .05 for all). Additional investigations are needed to determine whether bed bugs directly contribute to disease by transmitting causative agents, whether bed bug exposure contributes secondarily contributes to infections, or whether these associations are better explained by other environmental and social determinants of health.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Investigating the association of bed bugs with infectious diseases: A retrospective case-control study

Sheele

Libertin

Pritt

et al. 2021

Heliyon

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“…The populations at high risk for iron deficiency anemia in the setting of pediculosis are children, patients with a history of psychiatric disorder, including depression, and low socioeconomic status [ 2 , 9 , 11 ]. In order to establish a diagnosis, other causes of iron deficiency anemia must be ruled out.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Pediculosis is a common condition caused by an infestation of head and body louse [ 1 , 2 ]. Lice are obligate parasites that are categorized into two main groups: Mallophaga: the chewing lice, and Anoplura: the sucking lice [ 3 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ectoparasitosis, a rare cause of severe iron deficiency anemia: A case report

Batool

Song

Reyes

et al. 2021

Annals of Medicine &Amp; Surgery

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Pediculosis is a common condition caused by an infestation of head and body louse (ectoparasites) and remains a public health concern. Generally, infestation presents as pruritus in children and has a benign course, but there have been a handful of cases reported in the literature describing severe iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in high-risk groups such as children, history of psychiatric disorder including depression, and low socioeconomic status. Though an uncommonly encountered etiology of anemia, the aim of this case is to increase awareness of a rare cause of severe anemia from an ectoparasites affecting a high risk population, even in developed countries.

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“…Poor personal hygiene places individuals at risk for body lice infestation, which is associated with iron‐deficiency anemia in chronic or recurrent infestations 60‐63 . Body lice are also the vector for louse‐borne relapsing fever (LBRF), which is almost exclusively seen in individuals from the Horn of Africa (Eritrea, Somalia, Ethiopia) where LBRF is endemic.…”

Section: Skin Diseases Associated With Suboptimal Infrastructurementioning

confidence: 99%

Skin diseases in displaced populations: a review of contributing factors, challenges, and approaches to care

2020

Self Cite

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There are 70.8 million persons displaced worldwide due to war, persecution, and violence. Eighty percent of displaced persons reside in low-and middle-income countries with limited healthcare resources. Cutaneous diseases are commonly reported among displaced persons owing to numerous interrelated factors such as inadequate housing, overcrowding, food insecurity, environmental exposures, violence including torture, and breakdown of healthcare infrastructure. Diagnosis and management of these conditions, as well as an understanding of the context in which they present, is crucial to providing dermatologic care for displaced populations worldwide. Herein, we define displaced populations and, within this context, review the epidemiology of skin diseases, discuss pertinent skin conditions, examine challenges to care provision, and present approaches for improving dermatologic care. Inflammatory and communicable infectious disorders are the most common skin diseases seen in displaced populations. Other relevant conditions include skin manifestations of heat injuries, cold injuries, immersion foot syndromes, macronutrient and micronutrient deficiencies, torture, and sexual and gender-based violence. Provision of dermatologic care to displaced populations is hampered by limited diagnostic and therapeutic resources and specialist expertise. Medical screening for cutaneous disorders, context-relevant dermatology training, and telemedicine are potential tools to improve diagnosis and management of skin diseases in displaced populations. (UNHCR) estimates that nearly one person every 2 seconds escapes war, persecution, or terror, leaving everything behind. About 80% of refugees are hosted in low-and middle-income countries, which provide, for example, protection and space for refugee camps and for which the presence of large numbers of refugees brings a significant strain on the infrastructure. 2 Among the nearly 26 million refugees in 2018, 57% came from three countries: Syria (6.7 million), Afghanistan (2.7 million), and South Sudan (2.3 million). 1 Their neighbors, Turkey (3.7 million), Pakistan (1.4 million), Uganda (1.2 million), and Sudan (1.1 million), are among the top refugee hosting countries. 1 Ongoing crises worldwide have led to internal displacement of 4.3 million people in Yemen, 3 flight of 742,000 Rohingya from Myanmar to Bangladesh where many find themselves stateless, 4 and departure of an estimated 4 million Venezuelans 5 to other Latin American countries. Countries in sub-Saharan Africa host greater than 26% of the world's refugees. 6 Less than 1% of refugees transfer from the host country to a third country that has agreed to admit them for permanent resettlement. 7 For displaced persons, inadequate housing, overcrowding, food insecurity, environmental exposures, violence, and poor access to health care are constant threats to achieving and maintaining health. Cutaneous diseases are commonly encountered problems in displaced populations. Diagnosis and management of these conditions, as well as an under...

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More than skin deep: Severe iron deficiency anemia and eosinophilia associated with pediculosis capitis and corporis infestation

Cited by 19 publications

References 10 publications

Investigating the association of bed bugs with infectious diseases: A retrospective case-control study

Investigating the association of bed bugs with infectious diseases: A retrospective case-control study

Ectoparasitosis, a rare cause of severe iron deficiency anemia: A case report

Skin diseases in displaced populations: a review of contributing factors, challenges, and approaches to care

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