American Journal of Pediatrics 2018; 4(4): 94-99 http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/ajp doi: 10.11648/j.ajp.20180404.14 ISSN: 2472-0887 (Print); ISSN: 2472-0909 (Online) Prevalence of Head Lice Infestation (Pediculosis Capitis) Among Primary School Students in the Meshkin Shahr of Ardabil Province Abbasgholizadeh Nategh 1 , Moradi-Asl Eslam 1, * , Adham Davoud 1 , Soudi Roghayeh 2 , Ganji Akbar 2 , Brije Hassan 2 , Salehzade Mehdi 2 1 Department of Public Health, School of Public Health, Ardabil University of Medical Science, Ardabil, Iran 2 Experts of Meshkin Shahr Health Center, Ardabil University of Medical Science, Ardabil, Iran Email address: * Corresponding author To cite this article: Abbasgholizadeh Nategh, Moradi-Asl Eslam , Adham Davoud, Soudi Roghayeh, Ganji Akbar, Brije Hassan, Salehzade Mehdi. Prevalence of Head Lice Infestation (Pediculosis Capitis) Among Primary School Students in the Meshkin Shahr of Ardabil Province. American Journal of Pediatrics. Vol. 4, No. 4, 2018, pp. 94-99. doi: 10.11648/j.ajp.20180404.14 Received: August 20, 2018; Accepted: October 5, 2018; Published: November 27, 2018 Abstract: Head lice infestation is so common in all parts of the world such as Iran especially in places with high population with poverty and lack of observing personal health principles. The maximum prevalence of louse infestation in children was observed in elementary school. Over prevalence of infestation in this age group and its relationship with education system and thus its generalization to the total population was the main reason of selecting this age group for the present study. This study was descriptive-analytical which aimed to determine the prevalence of head lice in elementary schools students of Meshkin Shahr city in Ardebil province in academic year 2015-2016. 1950 students were selected from 20 schools. For data analysis, the variables were analyzed as multivariate by chi-square test. In general, 1950 students were selected from 20 schools from which 200 students (10.25%) were infested to head lice. From 200 infested students (61%) were city and 78 students (39%) were from village. The ratio of the students in classes with more than 20 students was two times the others and the ratio of the students that studied in the schools with more than 100 students was three times the other schools. The difference between both groups was significant in terms of Pediculosis infestation. (P<0.01). It can be concluded that a set of important factors like crowdedness of students in classroom and school, high population of family, low level of parents’ education were the main reasons of louse infestation and its increase in the current societies. Keywords: Infestation, Head Lice, Elementary Student, Ardabil, Iran 1. Introduction Lice are bloodsucking insects which belong to the arthropoda phylum and insecta class. They are considered as the most prevalent ectoparasites [1, 2]. Lice can transfer diseases like Typhus, Relapsing fever and have been always considered by different researchers. Head lice infestation is so common in all parts of the world such as Iran especially in places with high population with poverty and lack of observing personal health principles. This infestation is considered relatively common in villages especially among children. Head louse infestation in people causes the feeling of humiliation and lowliness, mental stimulation, depression and insomnia [3]. Louse infestation is a social problem which involves most human societies and is one of the health problems common in schools. This disease is often common in the areas with high population and low public health [4]. Head lice infestation is observed more or less in all parts of the world. This type of parasitic infestation involves 6-12 million people in the world every year [5]. In epidemiological studies in schools around the world, the