A review on Pediculus humanus capitis: Based on life cycle, resistance, safety considerations and treatment
Abstract
Head lice infestation or Pediculosis capitis, caused by Pediculus humanus capitis, is a common health concern. In the US, where Pediculosis capitis is the most prevalent parasitic infestation of children, 6 to 12 million people are affected every year. Pediculosis capitis remains confined to the scalp. Scalp pruritus is the cardinal symptom, although patients with lice can be asymptomatic. Pruritus with impetiginization should prompt the physician to look for lice or viable nits. All close contacts should be examined. Treatment directed at killing the lice and the ova should be considered only if active lice or viable eggs are observed. The three fundamental effective treatment options for head lice are topical pediculicides, wet combing and oral therapy. Spraying or fogging a home with insecticides or pediculicides is not recommended.
Keywords:
Pediculus capitis, Life cycle of head lice, Transmission, Symptoms,, Treatment
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References
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19.Meinking TL, Taplin D, Kalter DC, Eberle MW. Comparative efficacy of treatments for Pediculosis capitis infestations. Arch Dermatol 1986; 122: 267-271.
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30. Sparks TC, Crouse GD, Durst G. Natural products as insecticides: the biology, biochemistry and quantitative structure-activity relationships of spinosyns and spinosoids. Pest Manag Sci 2001; 57: 896.
31. Van der Stichele RH, Dezeure EM, Bogaert MG. Systematic review of clinical efficacy of topical treatments for head lice. Br Med J 1995; 311: 604.
32. Chopade VV, Tankar AN, Pande VV, Tekade AR, Gowekar NM et al. Pongamia pinnata: Phytochemical constituents, traditional uses and pharmacological properties: A review. Int J Green Pharm 2008; 2: 72-75.
33. Jeba A, Samuel J, Radhamani S. In vitro screening of antilice activity of Pongamia pinnata leaves. Korean J Parasitol 2009; 47: 377-380.
34. Breuer M, Hoste B, De Loof A, Naqvi SNH. Effect of Melia azedarach extract on the activity of NADPH-cytochrome C reductase and cholinesterase in insects. Pestic Biochem Physiol 2003; 76: 99-103.
35. Singh D, Garg G, Gupta V. In vitro screening of Mucuna pruriens seeds extract for antilice activity. Pharma and Bio Sci 2011; 2: 107-110.
2. Frankowski BL, Weiner LB American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on School Health the Committee on Infections Diseases. Head lice. Pediatrics 2002; 110: 638-643.
3. Burkhart CN, Burkhart CG. Head lice: scientific assessment of the nit sheath with clinical ramifications
and therapeutic options. J Am Acad Dermatol 2005; 53: 129-133.
4. Plastow L, Luthra M, Powell R, Wright J, Russell D, Marshall MN. Head lice infestation: Bug busting vs. traditional treatment. J Clin Nurs. 2001; 10: 775-783.
5. Hansen RC, O’Haver J. Economic considerations associated with Pediculus humanus capitis infestation. Clin Pediatr (Phila). 2004; 43: 523-527.
6. Maunder JW. Resistance to organochlorine insecticides in head lice, and trials using alternative compounds, Medical Officer 1971; 125: 27-29.
7. Stichele RHV, Dezeure EM, Bogaert MG. Systematic review of clinical efficacy of topical treatments for head lice. Br Med J 1995; 311: 604-608.
8. Schachner LA. Treatment resistant head lice: alternative therapeutic approaches. Pediatr Dermatol 1997; 14: 409-410.
9. Burkhart, CG, Burkhart, CN, Burkhart KM. An assessment of topical and oral prescription and over-the-counter treatments for head lice. J Am Acad Dermatol 1998; 38: 979.
10. Elston DM. Drug-resistant lice. Arch Dermatol 2003; 139: 1061.
11. Picollo MI, Vassena CV, Mougabure CGA, Vernetti M, Zerba EN. Resistance to insecticides and effect of synergists on permethrin toxicity in Pediculus capitis (Anoplura: Pediculidae) from Buenos Aires. J Med Entomol 2000; 37: 721.
12. Hunter JA, Barker SC. Susceptibility of head lice (Pediculus humanus capitis) to pediculicides in Australia. Parasitol Res 2003; 90: 476.
13. Mumcuoglu KY, Hemingway J, Miller J et al. Permethrin resistance in the head louse Pediculus capitis from Israel. Med Vet Entomol 1995; 9: 427-447.
14. Burkhart, CG, Burkhart CN. Safety and efficacy of pediculicides for head lice. Expert Opin Drug Saf 2006; 5: 169.
15. Canyon DV, Speare R. A comparison of botanical and synthetic substances used to prevent head lice (Pediculus humanus var. capitis) infestation. Int J Dermatol 2007;46: 422-426.
16. Mumcuoglu KY, Friger M, Ioffe-Uspensky I, Ben-Ishai F, Miller J. Louse comb versus direct visual examination for the diagnosis of head louse infestations. Pediatr Dermatol. 2001;18: 9-12.
17. Di Stefani A, Hofmann-Wellenhof R, Zalaudek I. Dermoscopy for diagnosis and treatment monitoring of pediculosis capitis. J Am Acad Dermatol 2006; 54: 909-911.
18. Burgess IF. New developments in the treatment of head lice. Nurs Times 2006; 102: 45-46.
19.Meinking TL, Taplin D, Kalter DC, Eberle MW. Comparative efficacy of treatments for Pediculosis capitis infestations. Arch Dermatol 1986; 122: 267-271.
20. Elston DM. Drugs used in the treatment of pediculosis. J Drugs Dermatol 2005; 4: 207-211.
21. Yang YC, Lee SG, Lee HK, Kim MK, Lee SH, Lee HS. A piperidine amide extracted from Piper longum L. fruit shows activity against Aedes aegypti mosquito larvae. J Agric Food Chem 2002; 50: 3765.
22. Perrucci S, Cioni PL, Cascella A, Macchioni F. Therapeutic efficacy of linalool for the topical treatment of parasitic otitis caused by Psoroptes cuniculi in the rabbit and in the goat. Med Vet Entomol 1997; 11: 300.
23. Roth GN, Chandra A, Nair MG. Novel bioactivities of Curcuma longa constituents. J Nat Prod 1998; 61: 542.
24. Heukelbach J, Oliveira FA, Speare R. A new shampoo based on neem (Azadirachta indica) is highly effective against head lice in vitro, Parasitol Res 2006; 99: 353-356.
25. Yang YC, Lee HS, Clark JM, Ahn YJ. Insecticidal activity of plant essential oils against Pediculus humanus capitis (Anoplura: Pediculidae). J Med Entomol 2004; 41: 699-704.
26. Yang YC, Choi HY, Choi WS, Clark JM, Ahn YJ. Ovicidal and adulticidal activity of Eucalyptus globulus leaf oil terpenoids against Pediculus humanus capitis (Anoplura: Pediculidae). J Agric Food Chem 2004; 52: 2507-2511.
27. Yang YC, Lee SH, Lee WJ, Choi DH, Ahn YJ. Ovicidal and adulticidal effects of Eugenia caryophyllata bud and
leaf oil compounds on Pediculus capitis. J Agric Food Chem 2003; 51: 4884.
28. Morsy TA, Ela RG, Nasser MM, Khalaf SA, Mazyad SA. Evaluation of the in-vitro pediculicidal action of four known insecticides and three medicinal plant extracts. J Egypt Soc Parasitol 2000; 30: 699.
29. Tiangda CH, Gritsanapan W, Sookvanichsilp N, Limchalearn A. Anti-head lice activity of a preparation of Annona squamosa seed extract. Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health 2000; 31: 174.
30. Sparks TC, Crouse GD, Durst G. Natural products as insecticides: the biology, biochemistry and quantitative structure-activity relationships of spinosyns and spinosoids. Pest Manag Sci 2001; 57: 896.
31. Van der Stichele RH, Dezeure EM, Bogaert MG. Systematic review of clinical efficacy of topical treatments for head lice. Br Med J 1995; 311: 604.
32. Chopade VV, Tankar AN, Pande VV, Tekade AR, Gowekar NM et al. Pongamia pinnata: Phytochemical constituents, traditional uses and pharmacological properties: A review. Int J Green Pharm 2008; 2: 72-75.
33. Jeba A, Samuel J, Radhamani S. In vitro screening of antilice activity of Pongamia pinnata leaves. Korean J Parasitol 2009; 47: 377-380.
34. Breuer M, Hoste B, De Loof A, Naqvi SNH. Effect of Melia azedarach extract on the activity of NADPH-cytochrome C reductase and cholinesterase in insects. Pestic Biochem Physiol 2003; 76: 99-103.
35. Singh D, Garg G, Gupta V. In vitro screening of Mucuna pruriens seeds extract for antilice activity. Pharma and Bio Sci 2011; 2: 107-110.
Published
30/04/2017
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[1]
S. N. B. Shankar N. Bharti, M. J. Milind J, and N. J. D. Nandkishor J. Duragkar, “A review on Pediculus humanus capitis: Based on life cycle, resistance, safety considerations and treatment”, Int J Indig Herb Drug, pp. 27-36, Apr. 2017.
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Review Articles
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