The prevalence of pediculosis capitis in schoolchildren in Mersin,Turkey

BACKGROUND: Pediculosis capitis is an endemic parasitosis affecting many countries of the world. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of head lice infestation in Mersin, Turkey. METHODS: A total of 5318 elementary schoolchildren, aged 8-16 years, were examined for the presence of Pediculus capitis. If any evidence of head lice was detected, such as live or dead eggs, or nits, the child was considered to be infected. The following details were recorded for each child: age, sex, family size, monthly income, number of siblings, parents' education, presence or absence of social security of the family, pet (cat or dog) ownership, and frequency of hair washing (per week). The chi-squared test and logistic regression analysis were performed to analyze the results. RESULTS: Pediculosis capitis was detected in 360 (6.8%) children. The prevalence of infestation was significantly higher in girls (13.3%) than in boys (1.1%) (chi2 = 313.2, d.f. = 1, P = 0.000). Children aged 8-9 years exhibited a significantly lower prevalence rate than those aged 10-11 years and those aged 12 years and above. The following variables were found to be statistically significantly related to pediculosis capitis: sex, age, father's education level, and pet ownership (cat or dog). CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that the prevalence of pediculosis capitis is not very high in Mersin, Turkey, and is observed in all schools regardless of the socio-economic and personal hygiene status of the children.