Head lice other diagnostic studies: Difference between revisions
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{{Head lice}} | {{Head lice}} | ||
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==Diagnosis== | |||
[[Image:Bugbuster.jpg|left|thumb|Lice comb (Bug Buster) wet combing with conditioner for diagnosis and treatment. Head lice can be seen in foam.]] | |||
The condition is diagnosed by the presence of lice or eggs in the hair, which is facilitated by using a magnifying glass or running a comb through the child's hair. In questionable cases, a child can be referred to a health professional. However, the condition is overdiagnosed, with extinct infestations being mistaken for active ones. As a result, lice-killing treatments are more often used on noninfested than infested children.<ref name="Pollack2000">{{cite journal | author = Pollack RJ, Kiszewski AE, Spielman A | title = Overdiagnosis and consequent mismanagement of head louse infestations in North America | journal = The Pediatric Infectious Diseases Journal | volume = 19 | issue = 8 | pages = 689–93 | year = 2000 | pmid = 10959734 | doi=10.1097/00006454-200008000-00003}}</ref> The use of a louse comb is the most effective way to detect living lice.<ref name="Mumcuoglu2001">{{cite journal | |||
| author = Mumcuoglu KY, Friger M, Ioffe-Uspensky I, Ben-Ishai F, Miller J | |||
| title = Louse comb versus direct visual examination for the diagnosis of head louse infestations | |||
| journal = Pediatric dermatology | |||
| volume = 18 | |||
| issue = 1 | |||
| pages = 9–12 | |||
| year = 2001 | |||
| pmid = 11207962 | |||
| url = http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/openurl?genre=article&sid=nlm:pubmed&issn=0736-8046&date=2001&volume=18&issue=1&spage=9 | |||
| doi = 10.1046/j.1525-1470.2001.018001009.x}}</ref> In cases of children with dirty, long and/or curly/frizzy hair, an alternative method of diagnosis is examination by parting the hair at 2 cm intervals to look for moving lice near the scalp{{Citation needed|date=May 2010}}. With both methods, special attention should be paid to the area near the ears and the nape of the neck. The examiner should examine the scalp for at least 5 minutes{{Citation needed|date=May 2010}}. The use of a magnifying glass to examine the material collected between the teeth of the comb could prevent misdiagnosis. | |||
The presence of nits alone, however, is not an accurate indicator of an active head louse infestation. Children with nits on their hair have a 35-40% chance of also being infested with living lice and eggs.<ref name="Mumcuoglu2001"/><ref name="pmid11331679">{{cite journal |author=Williams LK, Reichert A, MacKenzie WR, Hightower AW, Blake PA |title=Lice, nits, and school policy |journal=Pediatrics |volume=107 |issue=5 |pages=1011–5 |year=2001 |pmid=11331679 |doi=10.1542/peds.107.5.1011}}</ref> If lice are detected, the entire family needs to be checked (especially children up to the age of 13 years) with a louse comb, and only those who are infested with living lice should be treated. | |||
As long as no living lice are detected, the child should be considered negative for head louse infestation. Accordingly, a child should be treated with a pediculicide ONLY when living lice are detected on his/her hair (not because he/she has louse eggs/nits on the hair and not because the scalp is itchy).<ref name="pmid17668538">{{cite journal |author=Mumcuoglu KY, Barker SC, Burgess IE, Combescot-Lang C, Dalgleish RC, Larsen KS, Miller J, Roberts RJ, Taylan-Ozkan A |title=International guidelines for effective control of head louse infestations |journal=[[Journal of Drugs in Dermatology : JDD]] |volume=6 |issue=4 |pages=409–14 |year=2007 |month=April |pmid=17668538 |doi= |url= |accessdate=2012-02-10}}</ref> | |||
==References== | |||
{{reflist|2}} | |||
{{WH}} | {{WH}} | ||
Revision as of 15:57, 10 February 2012
Template:Head lice Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Diagnosis
The condition is diagnosed by the presence of lice or eggs in the hair, which is facilitated by using a magnifying glass or running a comb through the child's hair. In questionable cases, a child can be referred to a health professional. However, the condition is overdiagnosed, with extinct infestations being mistaken for active ones. As a result, lice-killing treatments are more often used on noninfested than infested children.[1] The use of a louse comb is the most effective way to detect living lice.[2] In cases of children with dirty, long and/or curly/frizzy hair, an alternative method of diagnosis is examination by parting the hair at 2 cm intervals to look for moving lice near the scalp[citation needed]. With both methods, special attention should be paid to the area near the ears and the nape of the neck. The examiner should examine the scalp for at least 5 minutes[citation needed]. The use of a magnifying glass to examine the material collected between the teeth of the comb could prevent misdiagnosis.
The presence of nits alone, however, is not an accurate indicator of an active head louse infestation. Children with nits on their hair have a 35-40% chance of also being infested with living lice and eggs.[2][3] If lice are detected, the entire family needs to be checked (especially children up to the age of 13 years) with a louse comb, and only those who are infested with living lice should be treated. As long as no living lice are detected, the child should be considered negative for head louse infestation. Accordingly, a child should be treated with a pediculicide ONLY when living lice are detected on his/her hair (not because he/she has louse eggs/nits on the hair and not because the scalp is itchy).[4]
References
- ↑ Pollack RJ, Kiszewski AE, Spielman A (2000). "Overdiagnosis and consequent mismanagement of head louse infestations in North America". The Pediatric Infectious Diseases Journal. 19 (8): 689–93. doi:10.1097/00006454-200008000-00003. PMID 10959734.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Mumcuoglu KY, Friger M, Ioffe-Uspensky I, Ben-Ishai F, Miller J (2001). "Louse comb versus direct visual examination for the diagnosis of head louse infestations". Pediatric dermatology. 18 (1): 9–12. doi:10.1046/j.1525-1470.2001.018001009.x. PMID 11207962.
- ↑ Williams LK, Reichert A, MacKenzie WR, Hightower AW, Blake PA (2001). "Lice, nits, and school policy". Pediatrics. 107 (5): 1011–5. doi:10.1542/peds.107.5.1011. PMID 11331679.
- ↑ Mumcuoglu KY, Barker SC, Burgess IE, Combescot-Lang C, Dalgleish RC, Larsen KS, Miller J, Roberts RJ, Taylan-Ozkan A (2007). "International guidelines for effective control of head louse infestations". Journal of Drugs in Dermatology : JDD. 6 (4): 409–14. PMID 17668538. Unknown parameter
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