Head Lice / Bed Bugs

Question 1

What causes head lice?

1 - pediculus capitis
2 - mite Sarcoptes scabiei
3 - trichophyton
4 - all of the above

Answer 1

1 - pediculus capitis
- these live in the hair and feed off our blood

Question 2

Which of the following is a risk factor for getting head lice?

1 - aged 4-11
2 - long hair
3 - siblings
4 - all of the above

Answer 2

4 - all of the above

Question 3

Head lice lay their eggs that are glued in the hair close to the scalp. Once laid, typically how long is it before the eggs hatch?

1 - 1-2 days
2 - 2-5 days
3 - 1-2 weeks
4 - 3-4 weeks

Answer 3

3 - 1-2 weeks

• itching can occur for 2-3 weeks following the infection

Most head lice are females laying up to 8 eggs/day, but only liver for a few hours when not on the scalp

Question 4

How are head lice spread?

1 - contaminated water
2 - direct contact with hair
3 - in food
4 - droplets

Answer 4

2 - direct contact with hair
- head lice cannot jump, fly or swim

Head lice are NOT caught or passed on to animals

Question 5

Which group is head lice most common in?

1 - young children
2 - teenagers
3 - adults
4 - older people

Answer 5

1 - young children
- due to close contact

Question 6

How can you diagnose head lice?

1 - hair biopsy
2 - scalp biopsy
3 - blood sample
4 - fine-toothed combing of wet or dry hair

Answer 6

4 - fine-toothed combing of wet or dry hair

• this will collect the head lice in the comb
• 4 combing sessions over 2 weeks

Question 7

What is the most common symptoms patients with head lice present with?

1 - jaundice
2 - bleeding and scabbing
3 - eczema
4 - itching

Answer 7

4 - itching

Caused by an allergic reaction to the bite/saliva of the head lice

Question 8

If a confirmed diagnosis is made, which of the following can be used to treat head lice?

1 - permethrin
2 - electric combing
3 - malathion (chemical insecticide)
4 - dimeticone (a physical insecticide)
5 - wet combing
6 - all of the above

Answer 8

6 - all of the above

• treat the whole household at the same time and advise those you have been in contact with

Question 9

When using chemical treatments for head lice, it is applied overnight and then combed out in the morning. Do the treatments typically kill eggs?

Answer 9

• No

The treatment must be repeated after 7 days to kill newly hatched lice before they lay eggs

Question 10

If a child comes home from nursery and has head lice, who needs to be treated?

1 - siblings
2 - mother
3 - father
4 - all of the above

Answer 10

4 - all of the above

Essentially everyone in the household on the same day

Question 11

When using wet combing, NICE recommend 10 minutes to complete the process on short hair, but 20–30 minutes for long or curly hair. How many times do NICE recommend doing this over a 2 week period?

1 - 1
2 - 4
3 - 7
4 - 14

Answer 11

2 - 4

4 sessions spaced over 2 weeks (on days 1, 5, 9, and 13)

May need more sessions, so should continue until no full-grown lice have been seen for three consecutive sessions.