Prevalence of Pediculus capitis infestation among school children of Chinese refugees residing in mountainous areas of Northern Thailand

An epidemiologic survey of Pediculus capitis infestation among Akka aboriginal and Han children of Chinese refugees living in mountainous areas at elevations of 1,100 to 1,400 m in Chiang-Rai Province of northern Thailand was conducted during January 2003. Of the 303 children examined, 43 (14.2%) had P. capitis infestation. The overall infestation rate for P. capitis in Akka children (29.3%, 12/41) was significantly higher than that in Han children (11.8%, 31/262; χ ² = 8.161, p = 0.002). The prevalence in Akka (52.2%, 12/23) and Han girls (19.7%, 31/157) was higher than that in Akka (0%) and Han boys (0%), respectively (p <0.001), and the prevalence was higher in Akka girls than in Han girls (χ ² = 10.978, p = 0.001). The high prevalence of P. capitis infestation among these girls was possibly due to poor environmental hygiene and unavailability of sufficient water.