Kotus Marzena, Sędzikowska Aleksandra, Kulisz Joanna, Zając Zbigniew, Borzęcka-Sapko Agnieszka, Woźniak Aneta, Tytuła Andrzej, Bartosik Katarzyna
Department of Anaesthesiological and Intensive Care Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lublin, ul. Chodźki 7 St., 20-093 Lublin, Poland.
Chair and Department of General Biology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, Chalubinskiego 5 St., 02-004 Warsaw, Poland.
Insects. 2025 Mar 16;16(3):308. doi: 10.3390/insects16030308.
infestation is one of the most underestimated parasitoses still constituting a current epidemiological and social problem. Haematophagous insects, the etiological factor of pediculosis capitis, spread most easily in preschool children, which is determined by social and behavioural aspects. The study aimed to search for factors contributing to pediculosis capitis persistence in kindergartens located in south-eastern Poland. For this purpose, anonymous surveys among the management staff of preschool institutions were conducted. Head lice infestations were reported in 87.0% of the 561 surveyed facilities. A positive correlation was confirmed between the prevalence of head lice and a higher number of children in these facilities. Additionally, in 69.3% of the facilities where cases of pediculosis capitis were reported, it was noted that the infestation was associated with the child's attendance at preschool. Familial and occupational transmission was observed in 78.5% and 25.2% of the facilities, respectively. In contrast, in 93.2% of preschools where no cases of infestation were reported, all parents consented to periodic head inspections. Parents' attitudes and their perception of head lice as a health issue, rather than an embarrassing problem, appear to be key factors in effectively limiting the spread of head lice in the studied kindergartens.
虱虫感染是最被低估的寄生虫病之一，至今仍是一个现实的流行病学和社会问题。头虱病的病因是吸血昆虫，最易在学龄前儿童中传播，这是由社会和行为因素决定的。本研究旨在寻找导致波兰东南部幼儿园头虱病持续存在的因素。为此，对学前教育机构的管理人员进行了匿名调查。在561个被调查的机构中，87.0%报告有头虱感染。头虱患病率与这些机构中较多的儿童数量之间存在正相关。此外，在报告有头虱病病例的机构中，69.3%注意到感染与儿童上幼儿园有关。分别在78.5%和25.2%的机构中观察到家庭传播和职业传播。相比之下，在93.2%未报告有感染病例的幼儿园中，所有家长都同意定期进行头部检查。家长的态度以及他们将头虱视为健康问题而非尴尬问题的观念，似乎是有效限制所研究幼儿园头虱传播的关键因素。
