On 19 Jan 00, at 16:08, John C. Scafe wrote:

> It appears that varroa mites are not the only insects developing
> resistance to pyrethrums (Apistan's fluvalinate is a synthetic
> pyrethroid). The February 2000 issue of Consumer Reports magazine on
> page 49 has an article head lice resistance to various medications.
> They say:

I understand that many agricultural/horticultural pests that have
been treated with pyrethroids have developed resistance,  I seem to
recall the Soil Association in the UK stating this.

> "Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health recently reported
> that head lice collected from children in Massachusetts and Idaho are
> no longer killed by permethrin, the active ingredient in "Nix," the
> nation's best-selling lice shampoo. The researchers didn't test
> pyrethrum, the active ingredient in other over-the-counter lice
> shampoos, but it's likely that lice are growing resistant to it as
> well because it's so widely used."

My wife is a school teacher and I have 3 young children,  from time
to time some of them have proved positive to the nit-comb test.

In the UK, 'approved' (as obtained from the dispensary) head lice
treatments are rotated each year with 3 different 'niticides'.

I saw some research on the television a couple of years ago which
showed that one of the treatments (based on an organo-phosphate
chemical) produced horrendously high levels of the chemical in the
child's blood stream.  I'm no scientist but rubbing toxic chemicals
into a child's scalp doesn't exactly sound like a good idea.

Concerned parents could do well to take a leaf from the
beekeeper's book of Varroa mite control -

-  Produce strains of 'hygienic' child which have well developed
grooming habits.

-  Utilise the method promulgated by Dr.  Rodriguez and apply hair
conditioner or oil to the child's scalp before bed time and rinse in
the morning.  This appears to kill head lice very effectively.  Further
grooming/reapplication may be necessary to catch the eggs.

I haven't had head lice myself which is probably due to the fact that
I try to keep wife and children at a sensible distance at all times.
Or maybe because I haven't much hair left.

Joe Hemmens