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Biomedical subjects

Ian F Burgess

Publications and source records attributed to Ian F Burgess.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

The association between impetigo, insect bites and air temperature: a retrospective 5-year study (1999-2003) using morbidity data collected from a sentinel general practice network database.

BACKGROUND: Impetigo is one of the commonest childhood skin infections. Insect bites are commonly implicated in the development of impetigo. There are, however, very few data available to describe the seasonal incidences and association between the two conditions. OBJECTIVES: To describe the seasonal incidence of impetigo in England and Wales and to investigate the reported association with insect bites. METHODS: Clinical diagnoses of impetigo and insect bites were recorded from a sentinel GP network over the years 1999-2003. RESULTS: The highest mean weekly rates of impetigo were in children aged 0-4 years (84 per 100 000) and in those aged 5-14 years (54 per 100 000). In contrast, the incidence of insect bite only varied between 3 and 5 per 100 000 for males and between 5 and 9 per 100 000 for females. The relative risk (RR) for females consulting over males with impetigo was similar in children [RR 0.99 (95% CI 0.96-1.02)] and adults [RR 1.20 (1.16-1.25)]; the RR of insect bite was similar in children [RR 1.21 (1.09-1.34)] but almost twice as likely in adults [RR 2.13 (2.02-2.25)]. Insect bite peaked almost coincidentally with temperature whereas there was a lag of one-to-two 4-week periods between impetigo and temperature. CONCLUSION: There is suggestion of some degree of association between impetigo and insect bites. The improved management of patients consulting with insect bites and better use of antiseptic treatments might provide the basis for reducing the incidence of impetigo in the community.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Treatment of head louse infestation with 4% dimeticone lotion: randomised controlled equivalence trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of 4% dimeticone lotion for treatment of head louse infestation. DESIGN: Randomised controlled equivalence trial. SETTING: Community, with home visits. PARTICIPANTS: 214 young people aged 4 to 18 years and 39 adults with active head louse infestation. INTERVENTIONS: Two applications seven days apart of either 4.0% dimeticone lotion, applied for eight hours or overnight, or 0.5% phenothrin liquid, applied for 12 hours or overnight. OUTCOME MEASURES: Cure of infestation (no evidence of head lice after second treatment) or reinfestation after cure. RESULTS: Cure or reinfestation after cure occurred in 89 of 127 (70%) participants treated with dimeticone and 94 of 125 (75%) treated with phenothrin (difference -5%, 95% confidence interval -16% to 6%). Per protocol analysis showed that 84 of 121 (69%) participants were cured with dimeticone and 90 of 116 (78%) were cured with phenothrin. Irritant reactions occurred significantly less with dimeticone (3/127, 2%) than with phenothrin (11/125, 9%; difference -6%, -12% to -1%). Per protocol this was 3 of 121 (3%) participants treated with dimeticone and 10 of 116 (9%) treated with phenothrin (difference -6%, -12% to -0.3%). CONCLUSION: Dimeticone lotion cures head louse infestation. Dimeticone seems less irritant than existing treatments and has a physical action on lice that should not be affected by resistance to neurotoxic insecticides.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed2004

Human lice and their control.

Current research on human louse biology has focused on the long-standing debate about speciation of head and body lice but using new tools of DNA and enzyme analysis. These studies have indicated that head and body lice from the same geographical zone may be more closely allied than insects inhabiting the same ecological niche in other regions. However, the majority of research over the past decade has involved clinical aspects including transmission, treatment, and the appearance and identification of resistant strains within populations of lice. Despite advances, there is a need for a better understanding of louse biology, as existing therapies fail and lice remain potential vectors of disease for millions of people.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Understanding scabies.

Increased incidence of scabies in older people has highlighted difficulties of diagnosis and treatment. Ian Burgess describes the life cycle of the scabies mite, transmission of the infection, diagnosis and treatment.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Myiasis: maggot infestation.

Myiasis is a condition in which fly maggots feed off, and develop in, the tissues of living organisms. True myiasis results from files deliberately laying eggs in or on the tissues. There are two forms of myiasis: obligate, in which it is necessary for the maggots to feed on living tissues, and facultative, where files opportunistically take advantage of wounds or degenerative necrotic conditions as a site in which to incubate their larvae. In general obligate myiasis of humans is tropical in origin, whereas facultative myiasis can occur anywhere in the world.

Animals↗