Services on Demand
Journal
Article
Indicators
- Cited by SciELO
- Access statistics
Related links
- Cited by Google
- Similars in SciELO
- Similars in Google
Share
Biomédica
Print version ISSN 0120-4157
Abstract
MEDINA, Ángela; LOPEZ, David and VASQUEZ, Luis Reinel. Severe pediculosis capitis in a nursery school girl. Biomédica [online]. 2019, vol.39, n.4, pp.631-638. Epub Dec 30, 2019. ISSN 0120-4157. https://doi.org/10.7705/biomedica.4855.
Pediculosis capitis is the most frequent ectoparasitosis around the world. The infestation is caused by Pediculus humanus capitis (head louse), which affects hair, scalp, and skin. It rarely presents with more symptoms and in the majority of the cases, it shows a benign course if treated properly.
We present the case of a nursery school girl with head lice infestation for 18 months. She did not improve after the shampoo treatment. This case was associated with furunculosis, skin lesions, multiple adenopathies, and anemia.
Initially, the presence of boils, alopecia, and lymphadenopathy was evident. The persistence of pediculosis capitis and intense scratching induced changes on skin integrity, facilitating opportunistic bacterial superinfection that led to impetiginization, furunculosis, excoriations, hematic scabs, anemia, alopecia, and lymphadenopathies. Pediculosis capitis affected the patient triggering psychological, economic, social, and other health problems. The patient presented uncommon symptoms (furunculosis, anemia, fever, alopecia, and adenopathies) resulting from the persistence of risk factors and the absence of head inspection and mechanical removal of insects. The education about the risk factors, as well as sanitary controls, are essential to contain the infestation.
Keywords : Pediculus; lice infestations; furunculosis; anemia; child; Colombia.