RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 What's bugging you? An update on the treatment of head lice infestation JF Archives of disease in childhood - Education & practice edition JO Arch Dis Child Educ Pract Ed FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health SP 2 OP 8 DO 10.1136/adc.2009.178038 VO 96 IS 1 A1 Marc Tebruegge A1 Anastasia Pantazidou A1 Nigel Curtis YR 2011 UL http://ep.bmj.com/content/96/1/2.abstract AB Head lice infestation (pediculosis capitis) is a common problem in paediatric practice. It can cause considerable distress to children and their families and may lead to bullying and social stigmatisation. Therapy with “conventional” topical pediculicides with neurotoxic mode of action—such as malathion, permethrin, phenothrin and carbaryl—is increasingly associated with treatment failure as a result of the emergence of resistance within the parasite population. This review provides an overview of the natural history, clinical symptoms and diagnosis of head lice infestation. It also discusses general management principles and summarises the current data on novel treatment strategies, including wet combing, dimeticone, isopropyl myristate, benzyl alcohol, plant-based compounds and oral medication.