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240
Pediculosis
Lice are the natural vectors of typhus, trench and relapsing
fevers although in temperate climates infection seems generally to
be limited to skin organisms giving rise to impetigo, furunculosis
and eczema introduced into the tissues by fingernails in the act
of scratching.
A resurgence of verminous conditions noted during the previous
year persisted throughout 1970 as a result of which an
increase of almost 91% in treatments was recorded. Preliminary
figures for the coming year indicate that the situation continues to
deteriorate.
Evidence, certainly in the London area, indicated that this
exacerbation was due to the evolvement in the head louse
(pediculus humanus capitis) of a strain resistant to the organochlorine
insecticides such as DDT and gamma BHC used for
present-day treatment. However, it was reported that early
results from clinical trials initiated by the London School of
Tropical Medicine into the use of malathion and carbaryl as alternative
methods of treatment were encouraging.
Since the 1969 Report, a preparation containing malathion has
been developed and is now being introduced into our methods of
treatment and it is anticipated that this fresh advance in verminous
conditions in the community will not only be halted but reversed.
In the course of investigations into this comparatively recent
rise in resistance it has been shown that the newer chemicals are
far less toxic to humans than the residual DDT and BHC
preparations.
Scabies
Once again treatments for scabies rose and the current year
saw an increase of some 16.6% over those for 1969 to a total of
702, a figure nearly four times that for 1967. It would seem that
perhaps the organisms' resistance to treatment is not the only
factor in this disturbing increase in verminous conditions.
A number of cases of scabies are likely to be complicated by
impetigo, a contagious complaint arising from the infection of
scratches by staphylococcal and/or streptococcal organisms.
Because impetigo is not a notifiable disease our information is
limited to the number of children reported by the schools as
suffering from this complaint. In 1970, there were 57 children so
reported.
Disinfection
The disinfection of rooms is effected by the formaldehyde spray.
This is carried out on removal of the infectious case or termination