title: Prevalence of head lice in two socio-economically different schools in the center of Izmir City, Turkey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The well-known and common infestation caused by Pediculus humanus capitis is an important public health and a social issue in many communities in the world. The aim of this study was to compare the head louse infestation rate in two schools having pupils from different socio-economic levels in the city center of Izmir.
  
  
  METHODS
  The pupils aged between 6 and 11 years, were screened for the presence of eggs and nymph/adult lice using a fine-tooth head louse comb.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 88 and 126 pupils from the schools with low and medium socio-economic level were screened and 24 (27.2%) and 5 (3.96%) of them were found to be positive for head lice, respectively. Overall, the infestation rate among girls was 3.14 times higher than in boys.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Head louse infestation is a significant public health problem among primary schools. Increasing the knowledge about pediculosis and self-hygiene would be helpful in successfully reducing head louse infestation in the school setting. School authorities must encourage the parents to look for head lice routinely and a "school nurse" system is needed for effective head louse control in the schools.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Ege University Faculty of Medicine, İzmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karakuş
authors.forename: Aylin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arıcı
authors.forename: Seray Özensoy
authors.initials: SÖ
authors.lastname: Töz
authors.forename: Yusuf
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Özbel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene; D010373:Lice Infestations / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D010374:Pediculus / Q000502:physiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012574:Schools; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population