Prevalence of pediculosis capitis in elementary school children in a public educational institution in Comas

Abstract

Objective: To determine the prevalence of P. humanus var. capitis in primary school children of a public educational institution in Comas (Metropolitan Lima). Material and Method: The research was carried out by auscultating 61 primary school boys and girls of an educational institution. Each student was taken to an environment separate from the classroom and their heads were checked, especially the retroauricular area, the lice in adult stages, nymphs or eggs were collected and deposited in glass vials with alcohol at 70º and labeled with a code to identify each student. The collected samples were transported to laboratory where they were observed through a stereoscope to confirm infection with the parasite. Results: Of the schoolchildren examined 20 were positive for this infection, which is equivalent to a prevalence of 32,8% and from the inferential analysis a Chi-square = 25,25 with a p-value = 0,000 < 0,05 was obtained, thus determining that there is a relationship between infection with head lice and the sex of the schoolchildren. Conclusions: The prevalence of head lice infection is high in the primary school population in the peripheral urban areas of the city of Lima and may increase in the provinces of our country, in addition, pediculosis capitis has a significant relationship with the sex of the schoolchildren, being the female sex the vulnerable population for this infection, due to the fact that women wear their hair long which would facilitate infection.