Pediculosis pubis in a clinic for treatment of sexually transmitted diseases.

The symptoms, clinical findings, epidemiology, and associated sexually transmitted diseases are described for 121 patients with pediculosis pubis who were seen in a clinic. Phthirus pubis was observed in the pubic hair of 118 patients, and in 38 men (37.3%) and 18 women (94.7%) the pubic region was the sole area of involvement. Pruritus was reported by 104 patients (85.9%), while excoriations were observed in 30 (24.8%) and maculae ceruleae in one. The median waits from detection of organisms to presentation at the clinic were two days for men and one day for women. This motivation for medical care was fortuitous, because 31.4% of the patients infested with P. pubis had other sexually transmitted diseases.