Pediculosis Capitis

Pediculosis capitis

Pediculosis capitis is the cutaneous conditions that’s the presence of Pediculus humanus capitis that live in hair & hair shaft as louse or nits causes Pruritus

Epidemiology :

Preschool & school years

Mode of infestation :Shared hats ,caps,brushes or combs ,close contact
Sites:

Scalp

Signs & Symptoms :

– The presence of lice(moving) on the scalp & its hair

-The presence of nits- nonmoving (lice eggs) on shafts of hair & its hair

-Small Red bumps or sores on the scalp,neck & shoulders

-Itching & Scratching are commonly  found

-Each louse is about 1-3mm long & is whitish gray in color

-Nits are smaller ,about 0.5-1mm white & strictly attached to the hair very close to the scalp.

-A ticklish feeling on the scalp or neck

-Difficulty sleeping which can lead to irritability

 

Who get head lice ?

People of all ages can be affected with head lice but commonly found in children aged 4 to 14 years.

 

Treatment of pediculosis capitis :

-Systemic Antibiotics

-Anti-Scabietics

-Permethrin 2.5%

-Gamma benzene

-Hexachloride 1%

-3%acetic acid followed by combia

Risk factor for infestation :

-Female

-Greater number of children in a family

-Sharing beds ,clothing & hair brushes

“Head lice can’t fly but spread by crawling along hair shaft by head to head contact”
Complication of head lice :

– Dermatitis

-Secondary bacterial infection

-Tender swollen lymph nodes

-Impetigo

-Occipital adenitis

Why does head lice treatment fail ?

-Failure to get rid of lice is a common & frustrating problem .it can be due to :

  • Inactive infestation
  • Reinfestation
  • Improperly applied treatment
  • Resistance of lice to insecticides
  • Misdiagnosis
  • Reinfestation from contaminated clothes, hats etc(less likely)

 

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