Impact of ivermectin administered for scabies treatment on the prevalence of head lice in Atoifi, Solomon Islands

by Suny Coscione, Tommy Esau, Esau Kekeubata, Jason Diau, Rowena Asugeni, David MacLaren, Andrew C. Steer, Christian Kositz, Michael Marks BackgroundScabies and head lice are ubiquitous ectoparasitic infestations that are common across the Pacific Islands. Ivermectin is an effective treatment for both conditions, although the doses used vary. At a community level, mass drug administration (MDA) with ivermectin is an effective strategy to decrease prevalence of scabies. To what extent MDA with ivermectin will also reduce prevalence of head lice is unknown. MethodologyHead lice prevalence was assessed before and after MDA with oral ivermectin (at a dose of 200 micrograms per kilogram of body weight) administered on day 1 and day 8. The primary outcome was the change in prevalence of head louse infestation at two weeks compared to baseline. Longer term efficacy was assessed three months after MDA. Results118 participants were enrolled. Baseline prevalence of active head louse infestation was 25.4% (95% CI 18.4 –34.0). At three-month follow-up, prevalence was 7.5% (95% CI 2.7–12.3), a relative reduction of 70.6% (95% CI 72.7%-91.4%, p
Source: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases - Category: Tropical Medicine Authors: Source Type: research