Lice infection rates in Polish schoolchildren

A new study investigating the prevalence of head lice in the villages and towns in eastern Poland has revealed interesting contrasts between infestation rates amongst girls compared to boys and between villages and towns.  

The study by Bartosik et al., published in the December 2015 edition of the Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine: AAEM, investigated the prevalence of pediculosis among children from state primary schools in the villages and towns in eastern Poland.

The findings revealed that lice infection was diagnosed in 2% of subjects, more frequently in pupils from rural (3.5%) than urban (1.0%) schools. Infection rates were higher for girls (59.5%) than for boys (40.5%). The study also revealed that the incidence of pediculosis has doubled despite the improvement in the socioeconomic status of the population observed within the last 16 years.