STL FP Volume 6 Number 2

Head lice infestations (Pediculosis capitis) are a worldwide problem with prevalence estimates typically ranging between 1-3% in elementary school aged children. Although this obligate parasite is a nuisance, infestation does not pose a health risk.

The term “atopy” was first coined by Cooke and Coca in 1923, derived from the Greek word atopos, which means out of place and denotes an immune reaction that is “strange or eccentric”. Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, waxing and waning, often symmetric inflammatory eruption that is characterized by pruritus and xerosis.