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Query: UMLS:C0851341 (infestation)
 10,121 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Scabies is a common infestation for patients of all ages throughout the world. One of the standard therapies for scabies is 1% lindane lotion. Lindane has been associated with neurotoxic reactions, specifically seizures. We describe a case of a middle-aged adult man with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection who was found to have typical scabies and was treated with a single topical application of lindane. Two hours after the application, the patient experienced a new-onset generalized seizure. We believe that the triad of HIV infection, medications that reduce seizure thresholds, and percutaneous absorption factors, in the aggregate, induced the seizure. We believe that lindane should not be prescribed for patients with HIV infection.
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PMID:Neurotoxic reaction to lindane in an HIV-seropositive patient. An old medication's new problem. 753 5

Head lice infestations affect millions of people in the United States. Children become infested more often than adults and account for the largest percentage of infestations. Head lice have not been shown to transfer disease, and they are not associated with serious morbidity. The most common effect of lice infestation is pruritus of the scalp with occasional cutaneous infection caused by scratching. Nevertheless, many schools have "no-nit" policies, which require the dismissal of children from school if nits or lice are found. These policies are ineffective in preventing infestations and result in many missed days of school. Lice infestations are most effectively managed with pediculicides. Pyrethroids are the mainstay of over-the-counter products. Prescription pediculicides include OVIDE (malathion) Lotion, 0.5% and lindane (formerly marketed as Kwell). Resistance to pyrethroids due to misuse and overuse has been documented. Lindane resistance also has been reported, and serious safety issues about lindane have been raised by the Food and Drug Administration. Lindane labeling now includes warnings and several restrictions in its use. Malathion is not associated with major systemic safety issues or the development of resistance within the United States. A contributor to pediculicide resistance is misdiagnosis of lice infestations. Survey data reveal frequent misdiagnosis of infestations in children who do not have live lice. Physicians generally are more likely to misdiagnose infestations than nonhealthcare providers. Misdiagnosis contributes to resistance by causing overuse, and consequently overexposure, of pediculicides. These agents should be used only if live lice or viable nits are discovered. Head lice infestations generally do not contribute to health risks for individuals or the public. The most serious consequence is the social cost of missed school days and the associated cost of lost productivity and wages of parents who must care for children sent home from school. Better diagnosis, more appropriate use of pediculicides, and elimination of no-nit policies will improve the overall management of head lice infestations.
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PMID:Overview: the state of head lice management and control. 1551 29

Lindane is an organochlorine pesticide found in certain prescription-only shampoos and topical lotions used to treat pediculosis (i.e., lice infestation) and scabies; lindane has been associated with human neurologic toxicity. In 2004, CDC was alerted to cases of illness caused by unintentional ingestion of lindane by persons mistaking the product for a liquid oral medication (e.g., cough syrup). To assess the extent of illness from ingestion of lindane, CDC, with assistance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and state health departments, collected case reports and analyzed data from the Sentinel Event Notification System for Occupational Risks-Pesticides (SENSOR-Pesticides) program and the Toxic Exposure Surveillance System (TESS). This report summarizes the results of that analysis, which identified 870 cases of unintentional lindane ingestion during 1998-2003, and describes two examples of lindane ingestions. To reduce the risk of lindane ingestion, public health authorities should alert clinicians to the hazards of lindane and the importance of following FDA usage guidelines, which include dispensing lindane in manufacturer-produced, 1- or 2-ounce single-use containers.
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PMID:Unintentional topical lindane ingestions--United States, 1998-2003. 1593 Nov 56