The frequency of head lice among children in Northern Jordan

ABSTRACT

To determine the frequency of head lice among children at Marou, Kufer Al-Ma'a in northern Jordan. Methods: during the annual survey in northern part of the country, a team formed of three doctors, six nurses, two laboratory technicians - and one pharmacist. Over a period of one week, from november 15th - november 21st 2003, a total of three hundred and ninty four children [aged one month- 15 years] who attended that program were examined to identify the frequency of head lice among this age group of children. The median age was 6.4 years in males and 5.3 in females. The median age for both sexes was 5.8 years. A total of 394 children attended that program during the study period, 30 of them representing 7.6% were infested with head lice. Females outnumbered males 1.71. The frequency of head lice among children is relatively high and it is more common in females than in males