A New Treatment for Head Lice

The FDA has granted its approval to Natroba Topical Suspension 0.9%, a new treatment for controlling head lice.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are between 6 to 12 million cases of head lice infestations each year, mostly in children 3 to 12 years old in the US. Head lice are contagious, blood-sucking parasites which leaps from head to head, going through an entire classroom in one day. The adult louse has developed a resistance to methods of killing it, making it very difficult to get rid of. The money spent to deal with this condition is as high as $1 billion per year in the US alone.

Natroba proves to be an effective treatment, for in two 10 minute applications, with a week’s interval in between, 86% of the people tested became lice-free. It has its side effects in the redness and irritation of the eyes and skin. Moreover, as it contains benzyl alcohol, it could cause death in infants.

Resistant Head Lice: A Study
Head lice become resistant to all treatments including organophosphates (malathion) and pyrethroids (permethrin and phenothrin), which are used to act on the nervous system for eradication.

Nevertheless, this is the only effective treatment that is available now.

Source-Medindia

Non-toxic Treatment For Head Lice
Benzyl Alcohol Lotion (BAL) has been found effective against head lice in children. A study published in Pediatric Dermatology says the treatment is non-neurotoxic.

The Truth About Head Lice - Superbugs
According to lead researcher Stephen Barker, Associate Professor from the University of Queensland, animals have two types of chromosomes, the nucleic and the mitochondrial.