ABSTRACT
Abstract: Although wound or traumatic myiasis is common in tropical countries, only recently cases associated with underlying dermatoses, such as seborrheic dermatitis and psoriasis, have been reported. We describe a patient with seborrheic dermatitis and an ulcerated lesion on the scalp, in which the dermatological examination with the aid of dermoscopy allowed the identification of larvae (maggots) compatible with infestation by Cochliomyia hominivorax. Treatment was performed with oral and topical ivermectin, followed by manual extraction of the larvae.
Subject(s)
Humans , Animals , Male , Adult , Scalp Dermatoses/complications , Screw Worm Infection/diagnostic imaging , Dermatitis, Seborrheic/complications , Dermoscopy , Larva/growth & development , Scalp/parasitology , Scalp/pathology , Scalp Dermatoses/pathology , Screw Worm Infection/parasitology , Dermatitis, Seborrheic/pathology , Medical IllustrationABSTRACT
A pre-Columbian Peruvian scalp was examined decades ago by a researcher from the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation. Professor Olympio da Fonseca Filho described nits and adult lice attached to hair shafts and commented about the origin of head lice infestations on mankind. This same scalp was sent to our laboratory and is the subject of the present paper. Analysis showed a massive infestation with nine eggs/cm2 and an impressive number of very well preserved adult lice. The infestation age was roughly estimated as nine months before death based on the distance of nits from the hair root and the medium rate of hair growth. A small traditional textile was associated with the scalp, possibly part of the funerary belongings. Other morphological aspects visualized by low-vacuum scanning electron microscopy are also presented here for adults and nits.
Há décadas um escalpo peruano, datado do período pré-colombiano, foi examinado por um pesquisador da Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. O Professor Olympio da Fonseca Filho descreveu lêndeas e adultos fixos a fios de cabelos e fez comentários sobre a origem da infecção por piolhos na espécie humana. Este mesmo escalpo foi enviado ao nosso laboratório e é objeto deste artigo. Sua análise mostrou maciça infestação, com nove lêndeas/cm2 em impressionante número de adultos muito bem preservados. O tempo de infestação foi estimado em cerca de nove meses antes da morte, baseado na maior distância entre lêndeas e o couro cabeludo, levando em consideração taxa média de crescimento capilar de 1 cm por mês. Um pequeno pedaço de tecido tradicional peruano foi encontrado associado ao escalpo, provavelmente pertencente ao conjunto de peças usado no ritual funerário. Aqui, apresentamos alguns aspectos morfológicos de adultos e lêndeas vizualizados por microscopia eletrônica de varredura de baixo vácuo.
Subject(s)
Animals , History, Ancient , Humans , Lice Infestations/history , Pediculus/ultrastructure , Scalp/parasitology , Microscopy, Electron, Scanning , Paleopathology , PeruABSTRACT
A scalp mass surgically excised from a 4-year-old Korean boy was identified as a tick through histological observations. In sections of the mass, characteristic features of a tick, including its gross contour, cuticular structures, well developed musculature and salivary glands, and the capitulum, were discovered. In particular, the capitulum is anteriorly protruded, which strongly suggests that the specimen be a hard tick of family Ixodidae. However, the present histological features were not enough to determine the genus and species of the tick, because information on sectional morphologies of different tick species is unavailable. This is a rare case of tick infestation on the scalp diagnosed in histological sections.
Subject(s)
Male , Humans , Child, Preschool , Tick Infestations/diagnosis , Scalp/parasitologyABSTRACT
A case of larva migrans or serpiginous linear dermatitis on the scalp of a teenager is reported. An ancylostomid larva was found within a sebaceous gland acinus. The unusual skin site for larva migrans as well as the penetration through the sebaceous gland are highlighted. The probable mechanism by which the parasite reached the skin adnexa is discussed
Subject(s)
Humans , Female , Child , Ancylostoma , Larva Migrans , Scalp/parasitology , Sebaceous GlandsABSTRACT
A clinical and entomological trial was carried out in 88 head louse (pediculus humanus capitis) infested children treated with a single dose of 1 percent permethrin shampoo or lotion. The sex distribution was 47 males and 41 females with ages ranging between 5 and 14 years old. In order to assess the efficiency of treatments, search for adult forms, nymphs and eggs (nits) of the parasite was performed in each of the children, before and after treatment (30 minutes, 7 days and 21 days). The entomological evaluations consisted in stereoscopic and microscopic examination of a mean of 12 hair samples taken from the retroauricular and occipital regions of each of the children, the biological condition of eggs, viable (inmature, mature), dead ans empty, was recorded. The cure rates, both clinical and entomological, obtained were 91,5 percent for shampoo and 95.2 percent for lotion. No adverse reactions with the 2 formulations used were reported. In conclusion, 1 percent permethrin shampoo or lotion is an effective and safe treatment for pediculosis capitis
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Child, Preschool , Adolescent , Lice Infestations/drug therapy , Phthiraptera/drug effects , Pyrethrins/analysis , Pyrethrins/pharmacology , Parasite Egg Count , Scalp/parasitology , Pyrethrins/administration & dosage , Soaps/administration & dosageABSTRACT
Se estudió la prevalencia de la Pediculosis capitis como enfermedad parasitaria durante el año calendario 1-8-1992 al 31-7-1993, en la Región Sanitaria XI de la provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina, que comprende 15 partidos del Este Noreste de la provincia de Buenos Aires y otras zonas de influencia del Hospital Interzonal de Agudos, Especialidad Pediatría "Sor María Ludovica", cabecera de dicha Región Sanitaria. Se examinaron un total de 552 individuos de nivel social medio a medio bajo de la población infanto-juvenil de 0 a 16 años, tomados al azar en 52 muestreos semanales consecutivos, considerándose como positivos para esta enfermedad a aquellos parasitados al momento del diagnóstico. Los resultados se expresan en términos de prevalencia analizándose su variación mensual y estacional. La prevalencia fue relativamente alta en todos los meses, con valores mínimos en febrero (12 por cento) y máximos en agosto (56,8 por cento), siendo la media anual de 38, 04 por cento (+/- 4,05). Estacionalmente, su menor valor corresponde al Verano (16,8 por cento), siendo muy semejantes los valores para las restantes estaciones, manteniéndose siempre superiores al 38 por cento