Biomaterial Database

Pediculosis capitis. 2005

Alexander K C Leung, and Justine H S Fong, and Alfredo Pinto-Rojas

Department of Pediatrics, the University of Calgary, Canada. aleung@ucalgary.ca

Pediculosis capitis is a worldwide public health concern. Infestation occurs most commonly in children, with a peak incidence between 5 to 11 years of age. The condition is more common in girls and less common in Black children. Direct head-to-head contact is the most common mode of transmission. Pruritus is the most common symptom of infestation. The gold standard for diagnosing pediculosis capitis is finding a live louse or nymph in the scalp or viable egg in the scalp hair. Pediculicides are the most effective treatment. All household members and close contacts should be examined and treated concurrently if infested. The child should be allowed to return to school or to a child care facility after proper treatment. The child should be discouraged from close, direct head contact with others or from sharing items that have come in contact with the hair.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007306	Insecticides	Pesticides designed to control insects that are harmful to man. The insects may be directly harmful, as those acting as disease vectors, or indirectly harmful, as destroyers of crops, food products, or textile fabrics.	Insecticide
D009722	Nurse Practitioners	Nurses who are specially trained to assume an expanded role in providing medical care under the supervision of a physician.	Nurse Practitioner,Practitioner, Nurse,Practitioners, Nurse
D010373	Lice Infestations	Parasitic attack or subsistence on the skin by members of the order Phthiraptera, especially on humans by Pediculus humanus of the family Pediculidae. The hair of the head, eyelashes, and pubis is a frequent site of infestation. (From Dorland, 28th ed; Stedman, 26th ed)	Pediculosis,Infestation, Lice,Infestations, Lice,Lice Infestation,Pediculoses
D010374	Pediculus	Lice of the genus Pediculus, family Pediculidae. Pediculus humanus corporus is the human body louse and Pediculus humanus capitis is the human head louse.	Body Lice,Head Lice,Body Louse,Head Louse,Nits,Pediculi,Body Lices,Body Louses,Head Lices,Head Louses,Lice, Body,Lice, Head,Lices, Body,Lices, Head,Louse, Body,Louse, Head,Louses, Body,Louses, Head
D002648	Child	A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL.	Children
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia