New trends in the epidemiology of pediculosis in urban primary school children of the niger delta and south east Nigeria

This study assessed for the first time new trends in the epidemiology of Pediculosis in school children (age 5-14years) in the humid Niger Delta region and from the relatively drier environments of the south eastern states of Nigeria. Samplings covered 8230 pupils with more than 750 children interviewed and examined per selected school from nine cities of the two zones. Pupils from the two zones suffered pediculosis infection in 2012. Pediculosis cut across all ages sampled. Percentage infection was generally low;out of 1000 school children interviewed and examined in the Niger Delta zone, highest percentage infection of 4.7% was recorded in Bayelsa and the lowest was from Delta (2%). Data from the south-east were higher than what were collected from the Niger Delta zone. Results from the current survey show a new trend in Pediculosis infection in pupils of both zones; infection was higher in boys than girls in 2012. The overall assessment shows that only 195 girls (2.4%) had Pediculushumanuscapitis infection as against 372 boys (4.5%). Girls make use of salon facilities more than boys. Apart from poverty which was associated with pupils from low socioeconomic cadre other major factors that resulted in the new trends in the spread of the disease in the two ecological zones of Nigeria are discussed.