title: Severe iron deficiency anaemia associated with heavy lice infestation in a young woman.
abstract: Lice feed on human blood, and heavy and chronic lice infestation can lead to chronic blood loss with resultant iron deficiency anaemia. Although no definite relationship between lice infestation and iron deficiency anaemia has been described, the concurrent presence of these two conditions has been reported in children and adults, as well as in cattle. We present a case of a young woman with severe iron deficiency anaemia that could not be explained by the known causes of iron deficiency anaemia. However, the patient was found to have heavy and chronic head lice infestation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, King Abdulaziz Specialist Hospital, Taif, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Sarah Ali
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Althomali
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, King Abdulaziz Specialist Hospital, Taif, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Lamya Mohammed
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Alzubaidi
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, King Abdulaziz Specialist Hospital, Taif, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Dhelal Musleh
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Alkhaldi
mesh_terms: D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000628:therapy; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010373:Lice Infestations / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D010374:Pediculus; D012536:Scalp Dermatoses / Q000150:complications* / Q000469:parasitology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult