Dermatovenerologist
Khasanova
Alina Rashidovna
8 years of experience
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Pediculosis is an infection of the human body by blood-sucking parasites that prefer to settle on the surface of the skin and hair. As a result of the activation of their vital functions and bites, the patient experiences pain, itching and irritation on the skin. Pediculosis occurs more often in children. This may be due to insufficient maturity of the child's immune system, which is unable to resist attacks from parasites. In addition, the disease often results from non-compliance with personal hygiene rules in preschool institutions.
Description
Depending on their habitat, lice are classified as follows:
- head insects often inhabit the scalp. Their timely detection can be difficult due to the length and thickness of the hair;
- pubic lice can be found in the genital area, on the eyebrows and in the armpits, where insects find favorable conditions for life and reproduction;
- body lice live on clothing in contact with the body. They feed on human blood, but do not transfer to him.
All three species share a similar structure and individual morphological characteristics. The length of insects is usually from 0.5 mm to 0.5 cm. Lice are attached to the skin and hair thanks to three pairs of legs. In the presence of favorable conditions and lack of treatment, they quickly multiply and spread throughout the body, causing inconvenience due to their vital activity and numerous bites. More often, pediculosis is diagnosed in workers in large groups, where insects easily crawl to a new habitat. The main method of transmission of pediculosis is through household contact, so a sharp surge in cases of the disease should be regarded as an unsatisfactory sanitary condition of the premises.
Infection with lice from animals is impossible: lice prefer to settle only on the human body and cannot feed on the blood of other organisms. Immediately after the appearance of the first individuals, a short asymptomatic period begins. Within 7-8 days, it can be extremely difficult to detect signs of head lice. An indirect indication of infection is severe itching in the temporal and occipital parts of the head, as well as pinpoint redness and ulcers that form at the site of bites. Often, pediculosis acquires signs of folliculitis, in which the hair follicles lose their viability and hair loss begins. The skin acquires a pronounced rough structure, and the bite sites darken, resembling pigment spots.
Active reproduction of lice greatly simplifies the detection of pathogens. Numerous eggs - nits - are attached to the hair. Their whitish color and drop-shaped shape stand out sharply on the surface of the hair. One individual can lay up to 10 eggs per day, the larvae of which become sexually mature within 14 days from the moment of birth. Nits resemble dandruff, but differ from it by tightly attaching to the hair due to the adhesive liquid secreted by the mother. It is not possible to wash off the eggs even with the help of hygiene procedures, because... the substance does not dissolve in water and detergents.
The largest number of cases of scabies and head lice are detected in children's groups and in places where there are constant crowds of people. Close bodily contact without basic hygiene rules leads to a sharp increase in cases of the disease. Visiting hospitals, schools, holiday camps, sanatoriums, hairdressers or places of detention may well lead to lice infestation. If a person does not take care of himself, rarely washes clothes and often shares personal accessories with others, the risk of lice increases significantly. Given the blood-sucking nature of these insects and the likelihood of transmitting serious diseases, it becomes clear that it is necessary to immediately consult a doctor when the first signs of lice are detected.
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Diagnostics
Despite the high level of development of modern medicine, the only way to diagnose the disease is through examination. It is regularly held in all educational institutions (schools and preschools). The diagnosis is confirmed only when living individuals are detected, and not nits. Infected children are excluded from attending educational institutions and are sent for examination to a dermatologist.
The specialist conducts an examination using a Wood's lamp (for head lice) or a slit lamp (for clothing parasites). Sometimes microscopic examination of hair, nits, or live specimens is performed. A modern diagnostic method includes videodermatoscopy, which allows you to capture enlarged lice in a photo or video.
Causes of head lice in adults and children
Close contact between people in the presence of at least one carrier of lice can cause infection of most or the entire team. Insect densities are increasing rapidly and the threat of disease spread is increasing exponentially. Having the ability to crawl onto clothing and household items, lice easily spread throughout the room. Therefore, among the main causes of damage are:
- team density;
- failure to comply with personal hygiene rules and measures to prevent head lice;
- ignoring the primary signs of the disease.
A significant proportion of the sick are families with a low standard of living. Timely detection of insects here can be complicated by the small size of lice. However, the attention of adults to children's health allows us to identify the problem at the earliest stages. Parents should be alert to the appearance of redness and pustules on the child’s body, and complaints of itchy scalp. Most diagnosed cases are due to head lice. Pubic insects spread primarily sexually, so they are more often found on the body of adults. If in a family a child sleeps in the same bed with his parents, the probability of developing pubic lice is close to 100%.
Drugs
We answered the question about whether lice can jump, looked at treatment methods, now we’ll talk in more detail about drugs for head lice. They contain the following active ingredients:
- permethrin (Nittifor solution, Nix cream, Medifox gel, Para-plus aerosol, Veda, Veda-2 and NOK shampoos, Hygia solution).
- pyrethrin (Spray Pax aerosol).
- phenothrin (Anti-bit liquid soap, Itax liquid, Parasidosis liquid, Bin lotion, Phenol lotion, Sumitrin shampoo).
- malathion (emulsion and gel “Pedilin”, aerosol “Para-plus”).
Risk factors
The vast majority of cases of head lice are detected in preschool children, as well as in people with an asocial lifestyle and those who practice promiscuity. The high risk of infection, combined with poor hygiene, contributes to the rapid spread of lice, turning a person into a walking carrier of dangerous pathogens. Favorable factors for the development of the disease are decreased immunity, general weakness of the body due to poor quality nutrition, bad habits and frequent stress.
Associated symptoms
In addition to the main signs of parasite damage, accompanying symptoms should also be highlighted, namely:
- •increased irritability, worsening mood, insomnia caused by itching, loss of appetite due to depressed morale;
- • the appearance of pigment spots that look like bruises as a result of massive breakdown of hemoglobin from red blood cells;
- • general weakness, apathy, depression;
- • enlarged lymph nodes;
- • the appearance of tangles in the hair – with extensive damage and poor hygiene;
- • increased body temperature
- • headache;
- • allergic reactions of the body to parasite bites.
A child who cannot yet speak or cannot explain his feelings often experiences increased moodiness, tearfulness, changes in behavior, and sleep and appetite disturbances.
When to see a doctor
For additional consultations and examinations, you can contact the doctors of JSC "Medicine" (clinic of Academician Roitberg) in the central district of Moscow at the address: 2nd Tverskoy-Yamskaya Lane, 10 (metro stations Mayakovskaya, Belorusskaya, Novoslobodskaya, Tverskaya, Chekhovskaya) . It is recommended to start with a visit to a dermatologist, who, if necessary, will involve a trichologist and psychologist in the examination and diagnosis. Experienced specialists will offer treatment for pediculosis, taking into account the age and characteristics of the patient’s body, as well as the degree of its damage. During the appointment, you will additionally be provided with comprehensive recommendations on how to treat head lice and avoid re-infection.
Can parasites jump?
Many people think that these tiny insects can move from one person to another, like fleas. Therefore, to the question of whether lice jump from head to head, the answer will be negative.
Let's start with the fact that lice have a fairly massive body, which is not suitable for active movement. Nature has not endowed their paws with any mechanism that allows them to jump. These insects can only tightly grasp a thin human hair and hang on to it.
So, can a louse jump? No! Thanks to this, we can safely contact other people at a distance without fear of getting infected. Please also note that these insects are able to move quite quickly, so you should avoid hair contact with an infected person. All it takes is a brief hug for a louse to move onto your head. That is, infection can occur very quickly.
Treatment of pediculosis
The intensive reproduction process and short period of reaching sexual maturity contribute to the rapid spread of insects throughout the scalp. The simultaneous presence of adults, larvae and nits forces the use of drugs that affect lice regardless of their “age”. The most effective remedies against pediculosis pathogens include:
- the use of topical formulations - shampoos, sprays and lotions for hair treatment;
- combing with a fine-toothed comb to mechanically remove insects and nits;
- the use of means to heal bite sites and prevent their suppuration;
- cutting hair to create an easier-to-maintain hairstyle.
An important measure to combat lice is thorough washing and disinfection of clothing and bedding.
Important: if one of the pupils in a kindergarten group is found to have lice, other parents should be notified to more thoroughly monitor possible infestation. The use of self-prepared shampoos and preparations for the treatment and prevention of head lice is not recommended due to their low effectiveness and possible danger to the child’s health.
Infection from animals
Now we will answer the question of whether lice jump like fleas. Is it possible to get them from pets? Remember: lice cannot jump, since their body and the structure of their paws are completely unsuited to this. But fleas are typical blood-sucking parasitic insects that live in apartments and can jump.
The so-called cat lice are the cat lice, and the dog lice are the dog lice. These insects are commonly called lice only because they have a similar appearance to the parasite we are considering. It is worth remembering that each type of lice eater is specific; it cannot live on other animals (including humans). For example, if a cat's hair eater gets on a person, he will soon die. The same fate awaits them if they fall on a dog or any other living creature.
Preventive measures
The list of recommendations for the prevention of head lice in adult patients includes the following rules:
- strict adherence to personal hygiene provisions;
- systematic monitoring of the health of the child and older family members;
- periodic treatment of wardrobe items and bed linen against pediculosis at high temperatures;
- isolation of sick family members;
- regular preventive use of anti-lice products;
- refusal of casual sex.
To protect your child from lice infestation, you must:
- carefully monitor his health;
- teach basic hygiene rules, prohibit using other people’s personal belongings;
- take care of a neat hairstyle;
- Carry out regular inspections for head lice in order to promptly detect the causative agents of the disease.
If the diagnosis is beyond doubt, you should immediately begin a course of treatment. This will help you get rid of unpleasant symptoms and avoid infecting others.
Make an appointment
Dermatologists at the NEARMEDIC clinic network recommend contacting a doctor immediately if you suspect an infection. The specialist will conduct an examination and prescribe the most effective medications, and also give recommendations on additional measures regarding personal belongings, clothing, and bedding. For the patient’s comfort and to avoid the spread of infection, it is possible to call a specialist to your home.
You can call a doctor or make an appointment on the website, by calling the contact center or the nearest convenient clinic to you. Registration through the website is carried out around the clock, through the registry - during business hours.
How dangerous are lice?
This disease causes quite unpleasant symptoms. Without treatment, the vital activity of parasites leads to deterioration of hair condition. They become tangled and crusty, forming tangles.
But this is not the danger of lice. Lice are capable of transmitting dangerous infectious diseases. In Russia, these insects carry typhus and relapsing fever, as well as Volyn fever. The infection enters the human bloodstream when the skin is pierced by an insect's proboscis.
Kerosene
Kerosene has proven itself in the fight against parasites when symptoms of lice appear in humans. However, this substance is very aggressive and can only be used as a last resort by diluting it with vegetable oil in a ratio of 1 part kerosene to 10 parts oil. Treatment is carried out according to the standard scheme: the resulting mixture is applied to the head, left for about an hour, rinsed off and thoroughly washed.
Kerosene cannot be used to eliminate the symptoms of lice in a child, since there is a risk of not only burns, but also acute poisoning.
If you notice symptoms of lice, what should you do?
The identification of parasites should not be perceived as a personal shame or a sign of poor hygiene. Instead of panic, when the first signs of lice appear, you need to begin immediate action to remove them. There are many ways to successfully eliminate insects that will help get rid of uninvited guests quickly and without risk to the body.
Regular hair washing will not be enough to remove lice. Moreover, clean hair only intensifies the itching of the skin. Modern pharmaceuticals offer effective drugs that can help you get rid of parasites in just one or two applications.
One of the effective methods of treating head lice is combing the hair with a special comb with thick teeth. The method is effective for both long and short hair.
To enhance the effectiveness of the method, the comb is soaked in vinegar, and then the hair is thoroughly combed strand by strand. The duration of the procedure should be at least 30-40 minutes, it is repeated several times over 2-3 days. It is advisable to comb out after treating the head with special preparations in order to eliminate parasite eggs from the hair.
