Treatment of head lice (Pediculus humanus capitis) infestation: Is regular combing alone with a special detection comb effective at all levels?

Abstract

Head lice infestation (HLI) caused by Pediculus humanus capitis has been a public health problem worldwide. Specially designed combs are used to identify head lice, while anti-lice products are applied on the scalp for treatment. In the present study, we aimed to test whether combing only by precision detection comb (PDC) or metal pin comb (MPC) could be effective alternatives to the use of anti-lice products in children. A total of 560 children from two rural schools in Turkey were screened. In the PDC trial, children were combed every second day for 14 days, while in the MPC trial, combing was performed once in every four days for 15 days. Children were divided into two groups (dry combing and wet combing) for both trials and results were compared. The results showed no significant differences between dry and wet combing strategies for both combs for the removal of head lice (p > 0.05). The number of adult head lice declined significantly on each subsequent combing day in both approaches, except on day 15 in the MPC trial. In the end, no louse was found in 54.1 and 48.9% of children in the PDC and MPC trials, respectively. Since family members of infested children were not available, they were not checked for HLI. Four times combing within 2 weeks with MPC combs was found effective for both treatment of low HLI and prevention of heavy HLI. In conclusion, regular combing by special combs decreases HLI level in children and is safely applicable as long-term treatment.

Lindane Shampoo for Head Lice Treatment among Female Secondary School Students in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: An Interventional Study

“…In addition, the failure of current chemical treatments to kill lice embryos in eggs, the environmental and food safety concerns posed by these treatments, and their potential toxicity to users necessitate the development of safe alternative treatment methods that can effectively kill adult lice and eggs via new modes of action [15,16], Other causes for the development of resistance to existing pediculicides include the persistence of pediculicide residue on hair, exposure of lice to sub-therapeutic concentrations, and inadequate concentration levels [5,6]. Numerous studies of the different types of head lice treatments have revealed that commercial pediculicides are ineffective in treating head lice infestations in students [12][13][14][17][18][19]. genetic mutations in the lice, which we plan to investigate in future studies.…”

Faktor-Faktor Yang Berhubungan Dengan Kejadian Pedikulosis Kapitis Pada Santri Putri Pondok Pesantren Di Bantul Yogyakarta

“…Seseorang dapat terinfeksi oleh ribuan pasir P. capitis, di mana setiap kutu memberi makan hingga lima kali setiap hari, mengonsumsi <10mL darah setiap ekor (Boutellis, 2014). Infestasi kutu kepala (P. kapitis) saat ini merupakan infeksi parasit yang umum (Feldmeier, 2012) dan masalah kesehatan masyarakat yang krusial, terutama di negara-negara terbelakang (Kurt, 2015). Studi menunjukkan bahwa ketika P. kapitis mengurangi darah dari kulit kepala inangnya, antikoagulan dalam air liurnya menyebabkan peradangan kulit kepala dan gatal-gatal, dan menggaruk oleh inang dapat menyebabkan peradangan lebih lanjut karena infeksi bakteri sekunder (Robert, 2002).…”

Prevalence and Determinants Factors that Influence the Behaviour of People with Pediculosis Capitis in Orphanage

“…Regular hair washing were the factors that accounted for both age and sex difference in prevalence of Pediculosis [17] [18]. Designated combs have been used for effective removal of adult lice or nymphs of P. h. capitis from the head [19]. With the exception of hair length, individual and household characteristics are of minor importance to predict head lice infestations in a low-prevalence country [20].…”