@article {94552, title = {Cold Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Comb{\textemdash}A Physical Approach for Pediculosis Treatment}, journal = {International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health}, volume = {16}, year = {2019}, month = {21-Dec-2018}, pages = {19 pp}, abstract = {

Abstract: Pediculosis, that is the infestation of humans with Pediculus humanus capitis (head lice), poses a worldwide problem that is as old as mankind itself. Over the centuries, man has developed a variety of remedies, all of which have ultimately culminated in the use of chemical agents. Some of these remedies are known to produce successful results. A large portion of the effective remedies used to kill lice and their eggs contain insecticides, but there is an increasing number of reports of head lice populations revealing an increased resistance. This study presents an alternative treatment approach, the efficacy of which is based on physical effects. Cold atmospheric pressure plasmas have successfully shown their formidably wide application range within the field of plasma medicine. This study presents a plasma device in its current stage of development that is engineered as a consumer product to enable an alternative physical and insecticide-free option for the treatment of pediculosis. An efficacy study concerning different developmental stages of P. humanus humanus is presented. P. humanus humanus was chosen as a substitute test organism for P. humanus capitis due to possible laboratory rearing and high anatomic similarity. The study shows how a single stroke of the plasma device over a hair strand (approximately 22 cm in length with a weight of 1.5 g) led to mortality rates of 68.3\% (50.0; 79.7) (95\% CI) in the juvenile test group, a mortality rate of approx. 67.7\% (54.9; 78.8) (95\% CI) in the female test group, and approx. 46.7\% (28.3; 65.7) (95\% CI) in the male test group. When single eggs were introduced directly into the plasma for approx. 1 s, younger eggs (0\–2 d) showed a higher mortality of 66.7\% (42.7; 82.7) than the older (4\–6 d) eggs, with 16.7\% (5.6; 34.7) (CI). Furthermore, the results of a risk assessment of the device are described. The article concludes with necessary handling instructions as well as further developmental steps, derived from the results of the efficacy and the risk assessment study.

Erratum to the article published in 2020 see: https://phthiraptera.myspecies.info/node/95582 or https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/2/450

}, keywords = {body lice, CAPP, head lice, Pediculosis, physical treatment, plasma comb, plasma-based pest management}, doi = {10.3390/ijerph16010019}, url = {http://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/1/19}, author = {Lars ten_Bosch and Habedank,Birgit and Dominik Siebert and Julia Mrotzek and Wolfgang Vi{\"o}l} } @inbook {94443, title = {L{\"a}use {\textendash} Biologie, medizinische Bedeutung und Bek{\"a}mpfung}, booktitle = {Krank durch Arthropoden - Denisia}, volume = {30}, year = {2010}, pages = {191-212}, publisher = {Biologiezentrum der Ober{\"o}sterreichischen Landesmuseen}, organization = {Biologiezentrum der Ober{\"o}sterreichischen Landesmuseen}, address = {Linz, Austria}, abstract = {

English title:\ Lice \– Biology, medical importance and control.

Abstract: All species of Phthiraptera are strongly stenoxenous ectoparasites on birds and mammals. They spend their entire life cycle on the host. Many species are of veterinary importance, but only three are ec- toparasites of humans \– the head louse Pediculus humanus capitis, the clothing louse Pediculus humanus humanus and the crab louse Pthirus pubis. The clothing louse is important as the main vector of Rickettsia prowazekii, Borrelia recurrentis and Bartonella quintana. Its preferred habitat is clothing. Long-term survival of the clothing louse is only possible when infested clothes are worn for long pe- riods of time in the absence of sufficient disinsection measures such as washing or storage. The head louse infests scalp hair. It is wide- spread the world over, among all social groups and especially among children. The crab louse Pthirus pubis is mainly found in pubic hair. It is usually transmitted by close bodily contact, such as during sexual intercourse, and occurs more rarely.
Head and crab lice, as well as animal lice, can be eradicated only by efficient and repeated lice control measures that include re- peated applications of pediculicid medications having a high anti-lice efficacy. To treat human lice, various pediculicids are avail- able with classical and alternative modes of action. Additional steps to effectively control lice and to guard against lice-borne dis- eases are information, attention, early diagnosis, contact tracing and hygienic measures.

}, keywords = {Bartonella quintana., Borrelia recurrentis, clothing lice, crab lice, head lice, Pediculosis, rickettsia prowazekii}, url = {https://www.zobodat.at/pdf/DENISIA_0030_0191-0212.pdf}, author = {Habedank,Birgit}, editor = {Horst Asp{\"o}ck} } @inbook {44357, title = {Lice}, booktitle = {Am{\"o}ben, Bandw{\"u}rmer, Zecken... - Parasiten und parasit{\"a}re Erkrankungen des Menschen in Mitteleuropa [Amoebas, tapeworms, ticks... - parasites and parasitic illnesses of humans in Central Europe]}, volume = {6}, year = {2002}, month = {2002}, pages = {497 - 506}, publisher = {Biologiezentrum und Ober{\"o}sterreichisches Landesmuseum Linz. Denisia}, organization = {Biologiezentrum und Ober{\"o}sterreichisches Landesmuseum Linz. Denisia}, address = {Bluestone, Vienna}, abstract = {

In former times clothing lice were very important mainly as vectors of disease. As a consequence of the bionomics, mainly the egg deposition on clothing, they were abundant under ti- mes of war and social deprivation. Nowadays head lice and crab lice are more important. These lice species are independent of the social status and may be acquired even under very clean conditions.

Biggest hindrance to eradication seems to be entomophobia and parent\&$\#$39;s and children\&$\#$39;s concern following identification to be of social stigma. Eradication is possible with a combined effort of appropriate control measures using effective pedicu- licides and contact tracing.

}, keywords = {clothing lice, crab lice, head lice, Pediculosis}, url = {http://www.zobodat.at/pdf/DENISIA_0006_0497-0506.pdf}, author = {W. A. Maier and Habedank,Birgit}, editor = {Horst Asp{\"o}ck} }