Abstract
This study was planned to highlight the magnitude of prevalence of head louse infestation in school children in Karachi region of Pakistan. Comparative prevalence in Primary and Secondary, Government and Private, Girls and Boys Schools, were investigated. Prevalence at different age groups and in different class levels was also studied for determining the effect of different factors contributing to head lice transmission and their prevalence. From five districts of Karachi, a total of 4025 students were examined, from each district 4 Primary (2 boys + 2 girls) and 4 Secondary (2 boys + 2 girls) Govt. schools and 4 Primary (2 boys + 2 girls) and 4 Secondary (2 boys + 2 girls) Private schools were selected randomly. Head combing was carried out with a frequency of 10 combs through the head of a student, data were recorded along with information on student’s gender, age, class. Arithmetic average, the Standard Error of the Mean (SEM) was calculated. Correlation between age and infestation was calculated by Pearson’s R and Spearman correlation. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine whether a significant difference in infestation existed due to gender, class level, and school type. The prevalence of head louse infestation in Karachi was 25.3%. A higher rate of infestation was found in Primary (28.72%) and Government school (32.90%) than in Secondary (21.90%). and Private (17.60%) school children. No significant difference of infestation was found between both sexes (P>0.05). Prevalence was found inversely related to age and academic class standards of students. It was revealed from the present study that head louse infestation is common in Karachi and is found almost in all school children without any respect of Gender. Infestation is not noticeably different in Boys and Girls, but Primary and Government school children were more susceptible to infestation than Secondary and Private school children. It was also encountered that prevalence of infestation decreases in higher class students and age groups.
Highlights
Head louse belongs to blood-sucking obligatory ectoparasite of man, highly adapted to survive on the head hair of their host, and is a small wingless, dorsoventrally flattened insect
Data analysis indicated the overall prevalence of head louse infestation in Karachi was 25.3% (1018) children were found to have head louse infestation (Table 2)
The results obtained from the comparative prevalence of head louse infestation between Primary & Secondary school children in Karachi are shown in (Table 1). 4025 students were examined, out of which 2000 were Primary and 2025 were Secondary school students
Summary
Head louse belongs to blood-sucking obligatory (permanent) ectoparasite of man, highly adapted to survive on the head hair of their host, and is a small wingless, dorsoventrally flattened insect. In severe and untreated cases, the hairs may become matted with eggs (nits) parasite and exudates from the pustules that originate from the louse bite; this condition is known as “Plicapolonica” fungus may grow in the whole feted mass forming a carapace like covering under which a large number of lice may be found. The skin becomes harder and deeply pigmented; giving the so-called vagabond’s disease infestation of eyelashes, through secondary infection leads phlyctenular conjunctivitis and keratitis. Wounds that are produced by lice help in the prevalence of the secondary bacterial infection. Head louse infestation in persons is usually acquired by direct head to head contact or by sharing of combs, hairbrushes, towels, beddings, and other items such as caps, scarves, headphones, helmets, coats, theater or car seats, or by loose hair prevalence
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