Pediculosis. Everyone knows what it is, especially parents whose children attend children's groups. This is a disease caused by lice that parasitize the scalp. Historians testify that the first lice appeared more than 10,000 years ago.
Relevance of the problem
Despite the improvement in the material well-being of people and the improvement of socio-economic conditions, lice infestation is growing worldwide.
In many parts of the US, the defeat develops into an epidemic. Pediculosis is found in 5% of people. What it is, how it manifests itself, what causes it, and, most importantly, how to deal with it, everyone should know. This disease of the scalp is characterized by the fact that head lice (Pediculus capitis) begin to live and actively multiply on the skin. There are also pubic and body pediculosis, which affects people who neglect personal hygiene and are promiscuous in sexual partners. Pediculosis is most common in antisocial individuals or in people who have arrived from disadvantaged places, as well as in areas where there is no active fight against pediculosis. It should be noted that lice damage can occur in any person whenclose contact with a sick person.
The danger of body lice is that this type of lice is a carrier of trench fever and typhus.
How infection occurs
Head lice are a parasite that enters the scalp through close contact or through the use of combs, hats, or when pillows or bedding are shared. These lice easily crawl from one hairline to another, especially if the hair is straight. It has been observed that pediculosis is rarely detected in African Americans or Africans due to the structure of their hair.
Why does pediculosis occur? What is it - lice, nits? The adult is unable to fly and jump. She can only crawl. Crawling from the hairline to the scalp, it begins to actively multiply. It should be noted that head lice can live on the eyebrows, eyelashes, mustache and beard. Nits are eggs that are laid by a mature individual. Through chitin - a sticky substance - they stick to the hair shaft and are clearly visible on dark hair at the very roots.
Pediculosis algorithm
The head louse lives for about 30 days. She can lay more than 10 eggs per day. For 7-10 days, the nits mature and turn into nymphs - immature individuals. After 7-9 days, this stage of maturation turns into the formation of adults.
Symptoms of Pediculosis
The specimen itself is difficult to identify when examining the head, as it is colorless. Only after she drinks blood does her color change from red to red-brown. Itching -the first symptom that can alert, although it intensifies 2-3 weeks after the initial infection. The occurrence of itching is explained by the fact that when bitten by a louse with saliva, it releases special substances that, getting into the wound, irritate the skin.
Pubic louse's favorite habitats are the occipital, temporal region, the skin near the ears. Constant scratching can lead to secondary infection and pustular skin lesions. If left untreated, the hair sticks together, the scalp becomes covered with purulent excoriations, the lymph nodes can become inflamed and the body temperature rises.
Diagnosis
Detection of nits and mature individuals is possible with a thorough examination of the child's scalp using a lamp, a magnifying glass and a comb with frequent teeth. When crushing a louse, a click occurs, which is uncharacteristic of other parasites. Even one identified individual indicates that there is pediculosis.
What is an inactive infection? Such a diagnosis is made when only nits are found that can be confused with dandruff. The difference is that dandruff is easy to comb out, while the eggs are glued to the hair shaft tightly, and it is not easy to separate them.
It is necessary to examine the scalp of the child, if he visits the children's group, every week.
Treatment of head lice
This lesion can be treated at home.
Currently in pharmacies you can buy a lot ofmedicines: sprays, shampoos for the treatment of pediculosis. Their main active ingredients are:
• malathion;
• pyrethrin;
• permethrin;
• Phenothrin.
An effective remedy for pediculosis is Nittifor, Lauri liquid, Veda shampoo. Some dermatologists advise sulfuric mercury ointment, but it has a specific effect on pubic lice and is contraindicated in skin lesions with severe scratching. "Medifox" and "Super Medifox" are the safest remedies for pediculosis. Feedback from parents who have used these drugs indicates that these substances do not irritate the skin, especially the affected areas.
Contraindicated for the treatment of insecticides designed to remove bedbugs, flies and cockroaches. These are toxic substances that can cause poisoning of a child, a pregnant woman and a nursing mother. The use of kerosene and blueberry water is not recommended as they are highly toxic.
You need to know that removing adults is not enough to completely cure pediculosis. Preparations of various companies kill only adult insects, but do not affect nits.
Processing rules
Before anti-pediculosis treatment, wash your hair with shampoo and dry. After that, using a cotton swab, 20 to 50 ml of the medicinal substance is applied to the hair, depending on the length of the hair. After that, the scalp is treated with the product. If the product is available in the formspray, handling is simplified.
The head is wrapped with a film and left for 40-45 minutes, after which everything must be washed with warm water and shampoo.
Dermatologists warn that all modern recommended remedies do not guarantee getting rid of pediculosis; this is such a lesion with protozoa that you cannot cure at one time with drugs. Re-treatment should be carried out after 7-10 days.
Destruction of nits
The easiest method to kill nits is to completely shave off the hairline. But for a child attending a children's group, this can be a great psychological trauma. You can’t remove nits with ordinary combing, because they are tightly attached to the hair, therefore, before manipulation, it is necessary to apply vegetable oil or vinegar to the hair. You can comb by wetting the comb in these substances, and very carefully going through each strand of hair.
Previously, the child's shoulders are covered with a light towel and light paper is placed under the legs to control the effectiveness of combing. Good lighting is essential for careful processing.
The conditioner combing method is suitable for all children, pregnant and lactating, as it does not have any toxic effect. The main action of a hair conditioner is to block the holes in the body of the lice and stop breathing. At the same time, nits, nymphs, and lice are combed out.
Prevention of head lice
Order "Pediculosis Prevention" was approved in the Russian Federation on 1988-26-11. It provides for inspectionchildren who attend childcare facilities or live in them on a weekly basis; entering educational institutions and after an absence of more than 7 days - once. Adults are examined during medical examinations, periodic medical examinations, and upon admission to pre-trial detention centers and overnight stays.
Planned activities include:
- regular examinations of the population in order to detect pediculosis;
- sufficient amount of personal hygiene products, change of bed linen, disinfectants and detergents;
- equipping medical facilities with reception centers, night stays, social security institutions, pre-trial detention centers, places of temporary accommodation for migrants, sanitary checkpoints, baths with disinfection equipment and the necessary means.
The main measure for the prevention of head lice is personal hygiene, especially regular shampooing. Children attending children's groups need to inspect their hairline weekly.
It is necessary to explain to children that you can not use someone else's comb, wear someone else's hats and communicate with stray animals. The shower should have a comb for combing out the hair, which is washed with warm water and soap.
When detecting pediculosis, especially body lice and pubic lice, the patient's clothes must be processed in a disinfecting chamber, and in case of head lice, lice and nits should be treated and combed out or the hairline should be shaved.
