title: Phthiriasis palpebrarum: an unusual blepharoconjunctivitis.
abstract: Phthiriasis palpebrarum is an unusual cause of blepharoconjunctivitis and may easily be overlooked because of the failure of physicians to recognize Phthirus pubis. We report a case of a 30-year-old woman with persistent itching in the left eyelid which was unsuccessfully treated under the diagnosis of allergic blepharoconjunctivitis. Careful ophthalmic examination revealed seven bugs with multiple red pinpoint excretions and numerous small translucent oval eggs (nits) coating the eyelashes. The patient was successfully treated with mechanical removal of all the lice and nits from the eyelashes. The specimen proved histopathologically to be the Phthirus pubis infestation. The Phthirus pubis infestation is usually associated with poor hygiene in overcrowded or undeveloped country. However, it may become a notable problem because of frequent traveling and commercial activities across the different countries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Yen-Ching
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Shu-Ching
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Kao
authors.forename: Hui-Chuan
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Kau
authors.forename: Wen-Ming
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Chieh-Chih
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Tsai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001762:Blepharitis / Q000209:etiology*; D003231:Conjunctivitis / Q000209:etiology*; D005140:Eyelashes; D005141:Eyelid Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010373:Lice Infestations / Q000150:complications*; D020061:Phthirus