The diagnosis, management, and prevention of common ectoparasitic infections.

Ectoparasitic diseases share many features in common with emerging infectious diseases, such as Lyme disease, including hyperendemic causative agents afforded selective advantages by changing ecological or socioeconomic conditions; origination as zoonoses or as highly communicable human-to-human diseases; transmission by competent vectors; and introduction into new, susceptible host populations. Many of these ectoparasites are now developing increasing resistances to medical therapies, including the safest insecticides and repellants.