An epidemic of pediculosis capitis.

An epidemic due to Pediculus humanus capitis occurred in the public schools of Buffalo, New York, in the winter of 1973. A survey at one elementary school showed that 20% of whites and no blacks were infested, and a city-wide prevalence survey during the academic year September 1972 to May 1973 showed that 7.2% of all pupils were infested. An epidemiological investigation showed that sex, age, race, socioeconomic status, crowding, method of closeting garments, and family size influenced the distribution of pediculosis but that hair length apparently was not a factor. Poverty and ignorance appeared to contribute to the persistence of infestation. The head louse, Pediculus humanus capitis, is a bloodsucking insect parasite that is found on the hair and scalp. It does not ordinarily live on any animal except man. Itching is the major symptom of louse infestation. At the scratch sites, secondary bacterial infection may occur. Little is currently known about the distribution of head lice infestation in the United States. There are no recent data on the incidence or prevalence of cases throughout the country. However, reports by public health authorities as well as recent articles in newspapers and periodicals suggest that pediculosis is emerging as a problem in this country. This paper describes the investigation of an outbreak of pediculosis in the Buffalo, New York, public schools where we discovered some factors that influence the distribution of the