@article {96491, title = {Human louse-transmitted infectious diseases}, journal = {Clinical Microbiology and Infection}, volume = {18}, year = {2012}, month = {Apr-01-2012}, pages = {332-337}, abstract = {

Several of the infectious diseases associated with human lice are life-threatening, including epidemic typhus, relapsing fever, and trench
fever, which are caused by Rickettsia prowazekii, Borrelia recurrentis, and Bartonella quintana, respectively. Although these diseases have been known for several centuries, they remain a major public health concern in populations living in poor-hygiene conditions because of war, social disruption, severe poverty, or gaps in public health management. Poor-hygiene conditions favour a higher prevalence of body lice, which are the main vectors for these diseases. Trench fever has been reported in both developing and developed countries in populations living in poor conditions, such as homeless individuals. In contrast, outbreaks of epidemic typhus and epidemic relapsing fever have occurred in jails and refugee camps in developing countries. However, reports of a significantly high seroprevalence for epidemic typhus and epidemic relapsing fever in the homeless populations of developed countries suggest that these populations remain at high risk for outbreaks of these diseases. Additionally, experimental laboratory studies have demonstrated that the body louse can transmit other emerging or re-emerging pathogens, such as Acinetobacter baumannii and Yersinia pestis. Therefore, a strict survey of louse-borne diseases and the implementation of efficient delousing strategies in these populations should be public health priorities.

}, keywords = {bartonella quintana, body louse, Borrelia recurrentis, epidemic typhus, homelessness, lice, refugees, Relapsing Fever, rickettsia prowazekii, trench fever}, issn = {1198-743X}, doi = {10.1111/j.1469-0691.2012.03778.x}, url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1198743X14614439}, author = {Badiaga,S. and Brouqui,Philippe} } @inbook {96227, title = {Lice in War and Peace}, booktitle = {The Silken Thread: Five Insects and Their Impacts on Human History}, year = {2021}, pages = {125-140}, publisher = {Oxford University Press}, organization = {Oxford University Press}, chapter = {8}, abstract = {

This chapter considers human lice, which have been parasites of humans throughout all human history and transmit a deadly bacteria that has killed millions. Analyzing lice genetics tells of divergence of humans from other apes and when humans began to wear clothing. Human body lice live in clothing and infest people only to feed. Lice spread easily among people in crowded situations and transmit bacteria causing diseases, such as typhus. The chapter relates how lice-transmitted typhus caused jail fever in early England, resulting in the deaths of more prisoners than the death penalty. Lice and typhus worsened the Irish Great Famine, as the disease killed thousands of Irish emigrating to the United States on \“coffin ships.\” Epidemics of typhus were prevalent in wartime, killing troops in both World War I and World War II as well as civilians in Nazi concentration camps and the Warsaw Ghetto during World War II and immediately after. Post-war use of DDT averted typhus epidemics in Europe and Japan.

}, keywords = {DDT, epidemic, human louse, Irish Great Famine, jail fever, public health, Rudolf Virchow, trench fever, typhus, Warsaw Ghetto}, doi = {10.1093/oso/9780197555583.003.0008}, url = {https://academic.oup.com/book/39864/chapter-abstract/340041312?redirectedFrom=fulltext}, author = {Robert N. Wiedenmann and J. Ray Fisher} } @article {95168, title = {Ectoparasites: Pediculosis and tungiasis}, journal = {Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology}, volume = {82}, year = {2020}, month = {03-2020}, pages = {551 - 569}, abstract = {

Pediculosis is an infestation of lice on the body, head, or pubic region that occurs worldwide. Lice are ectoparasites of the order Phthiraptera that feed on the blood of infested hosts. Their morphotype dictates their clinical features. Body lice may transmit bacterial pathogens that cause trench fever, relapsing fever, and epidemic typhus, which are potentially life-threatening diseases that remain relevant in contemporary times. Recent data from some settings suggest that head lice may harbor pathogens. The epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and management of body, head, and pubic louse infestation are reviewed. New therapies for head lice and screening considerations for pubic lice are discussed. Tungiasis is an ectoparasitic disease caused by skin penetration by the female Tunga penetrans or, less commonly, Tunga trimamillata flea. It is endemic in Latin America, the Caribbean and sub-Saharan Africa and seen in travelers returning from these regions. Risk factors for acquiring tungiasis, associated morbidity, and potential strategies for prevention and treatment are discussed.

}, keywords = {body lice, ectoparasite, epidemic typhus, flea, head lice, homeless, homelessness, infestation lice, Pediculosis, poverty, pubic lice, Refugee, Relapsing Fever, returning traveler, trench fever, Tunga penetrans Tunga trimamillata tungiasis}, issn = {01909622}, doi = {10.1016/j.jaad.2019.05.110}, url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0190962219323862}, author = {Sarah J. Coates and Cristina Thomas and Chosidow,Olivier and Daniel Engelman and Aileen Y. Chang} } @article {94660, title = {Pediculosis corporis}, year = {2019}, month = {January 6, 2019}, publisher = {StatPearls Publishing}, abstract = {

Body lice are parasitic insects that feed on human blood. The three types of lice that feed on humans are the head louse, Pediculus humanus capitis, the pubic or crab louse, Pthirus pubis, and the body louse. There has been debate amongst entomologists regarding the proper taxonomy of head and body lice, some identify them as two different species, while others group them as a single species. Those considering them as two distinct species identify body lice as Pediculus humanus, while those who see them as one species identify them as Pediculus humanus humanus. In the medical literature, body lice are often referred to as Pediculus humanus corporis, but according to the rules of the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature, this is an improper designation. Studies have identified that the head and body lice are closely related, with genetic studies demonstrating that body lice possess only one gene that is not also present in head lice. Unlike head and pubic lice, body lice do not live on the skin but rather live and lay their eggs in stitchings of clothing or bedding, moving to the skin only to feed. The most significant difference between body and head lice is the distinct ability of body lice to transmit the bacterial diseases of trench fever, relapsing fever, and epidemic typhus to humans.

}, keywords = {bartonella quintana, body louse, Borrelia recurrentis, Crab Louse, Head louse, Pediculosis corporis, Relapsing Fever, rickettsia prowazekii, trench fever, typhus}, url = {https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482148/}, author = {Jim Powers and Talel Badri} } @article {47482, title = {First Molecular Evidence of Bartonella quintana in Pediculus humanus capitis (Phthiraptera: Pediculidae), Collected from Nepalese Children [authors{\textquoteright} reply]}, journal = {Journal of Medical Entomology}, volume = {43}, year = {2006}, month = {2006}, pages = {788}, abstract = {

Response of authors to published comments by Parola, P., P.-E. Fournier, and D. Raoult. 2006. Bartonella quintana, lice, and molecular tools. J. Med. Entomol. 43:787. Poudel,

}, keywords = {Bartonella, ediculosis, head lice, Nepal, PCR, quintana, reply, trench fever}, url = {http://www.phthiraptera.info/sites/phthiraptera.info/files/46606.pdf}, author = {Sasaki,Toshinori and Shree Kanta S. Poudel and Isawa,Haruhiko and Hayashi,Toshihiko and Seki,Naomi and Tomita,Takashi and Sawabe,Kyoko and Kobayashi,Mutsuo} } @article {47093, title = {First Molecular Evidence of Bartonella quintana in Pediculus humanus capitis (Phthiraptera: Pediculidae), Collected from Nepalese Children}, journal = {Journal of Medical Entomology}, volume = {43}, year = {2006}, month = {2006}, pages = {110 - 112}, abstract = {

Trench fever is a body louse-borne disease caused by Bartonella quintana Brenner. The recent status of louse infestation in Nepalese children is not well known. We collected head and body lice, Pediculus humanus capitis De Geer and Pediculus humanus humanus L., respectively, from 30 children, including 11 cases of double infestation with both head and body lice. Detection of B. quintana in both louse species identified was carried out by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). PCR products with B. quintana DNA sequences were detected in both head and body lice from two children as well as in body lice derived from two other children. These results demonstrate that head lice may also play a role in the transmission of trench fever.

}, keywords = {Bartonella, ediculosis, head lice, Nepal, PCR, quintana, trench fever}, url = {http://www.phthiraptera.info/sites/phthiraptera.info/files/46198.pdf}, author = {Sasaki,Toshinori and Shree Kanta S. Poudel and Isawa,Haruhiko and Hayashi,Toshihiko and Seki,Naomi and Tomita,Takashi and Sawabe,Kyoko and Kobayashi,Mutsuo} } @article {46877, title = {Rickettsial diseases}, journal = {Tropical diseases bulletin}, volume = {65}, year = {1968}, note = {LR: 20041117; JID: 0410477; 0 (Antigens); ppublish}, month = {1968}, pages = {961 - 968}, address = {ENGLAND}, keywords = {Africa, Agglutination Tests, animals, antigens, cattle, Disease Outbreaks, Disease Vectors, Europe, fleas, Fluorescent Antibody Technique, goats, guinea pigs, humans, lice, mice, Mite Infestations, Q fever, Rabbit, rat, Rickettsia Infections/immunology, sheep, trench fever, typhus, U.S.A.}, isbn = {0041-3240}, author = {Anonymous} } @article {46860, title = {Trench fever. III. Induction of clinical disease in volunteers inoculated with Rickettsia quintana propagated on blood agar}, journal = {American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene}, volume = {18}, year = {1969}, note = {LR: 20041117; JID: 0370507; 0 (Antibodies); 0 (Culture Media); 9002-18-0 (Agar); ppublish}, month = {1969}, pages = {713 - 722}, address = {UNITED STATES}, abstract = {

A Mexican strain of Rickettsia quintana isolated directly on blood agar from a volunteer trench-fever patient and passaged exclusively on this medium induced typical clinical trench fever in two of three volunteers. The etiology of their infection was established by xenodiagnosis as well as by recovery of the rickettsiae from their blood directly on blood agar. The recovered microorganisms produced typical extracellular infection in lice after intrarectal inoculation. The numbers of rickettsiae circulating in the peripheral blood of the two infected volunteers at various intervals after onset of disease were quantified. Both infected volunteers had antibodies in low titer, which reacted with a complement-fixing antigen prepared from a European strain of R. quintana cultivated on blood agar. The experiments established that the microorganisms propagated on cell-free media from the blood of trench-fever patients were R. quintana.

}, keywords = {adult, Agar, animals, Antibodies/analysis, blood, Complement Fixation Tests, Culture Media, humans, lice, Middle Aged, Rickettsia/growth \& development/isolation \& purification, trench fever}, isbn = {0002-9637}, author = {Vinson,J. W. and Varela,Gerardo and Molina-Pasquel,C.} } @article {46861, title = {Trench fever. II. Propagation of Rickettsia quintana on cell-free medium from the blood of two patients}, journal = {American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene}, volume = {18}, year = {1969}, note = {LR: 20041117; JID: 0370507; 0 (Culture Media); ppublish}, month = {1969}, pages = {708 - 712}, address = {UNITED STATES}, abstract = {

The prior observation that Rickettsia-like microorganisms could be propagated from the blood of a patient with trench fever directly on blood agar received confirmation by further isolations of rickettsiae on cell-free media from the blood of two volunteers infected with a Mexican strain of Rickettsia quintana. The first volunteer was infected by scarification with saline suspensions of body lice, randomly collected in M\éxico City, in whose feces R. quintana had been seen. Infective blood from this patient was inoculated subcutaneously into the second volunteer. Both volunteers contracted typical clinical trench fever. The etiology of their infection was confirmed by xenodiagnostic louse-feeding. R. quintana was propagated from the blood of both volunteer patients directly on blood agar. Lice inoculated with the microorganisms so cultivated showed a typical histologic picture of exclusively extracellular rickettsiae in the lumen of their gut.

}, keywords = {animals, blood, Culture Media, humans, Injections, lice, Rickettsia/growth \& development/isolation \& purification, trench fever}, isbn = {0002-9637}, author = {Varela,Gerardo and Vinson,J. W. and Molina-Pasquel,C.} } @article {46650, title = {Critical remarks on F. Weyer research on the extracellular development of Rickettsia}, journal = {Zhurnal mikrobiologii, epidemiologii, i immunobiologii}, volume = {(8)}, year = {1981}, note = {LR: 20041117; JID: 0415217; ppublish}, month = {1981}, pages = {110 - 116}, address = {USSR}, keywords = {animals, humans, Lice/microbiology, reproduction, Rickettsia/classification/pathogenicity/physiology, trench fever}, isbn = {0372-9311}, author = {Mosing,G. S.} } @article {46566, title = {Trench fever. A resume of literature and a note on some obscure phases of the disease}, journal = {China Medical Journal}, volume = {97}, year = {1984}, note = {LR: 20041117; JID: 7513795; 0 (Anti-Bacterial Agents); 0 (Antibodies, Bacterial); RF: 49; ppublish}, month = {1984}, pages = {179 - 190}, address = {CHINA}, keywords = {animals, Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use, Antibodies, Bacterial/analysis, Disease Outbreaks/epidemiology, guinea pigs, humans, Insect Control, Insect vectors, Lice/microbiology, mice, Military Medicine, rat, Rickettsia/immunology/isolation \& purification, trench fever, virulence}, isbn = {0366-6999}, author = {Liu,W. T.} } @article {46291, title = {Survey of the seroprevalence of Bartonella quintana in homeless people}, journal = {Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America}, volume = {23}, year = {1996}, note = {LR: 20041117; JID: 9203213; 0 (Antibodies, Bacterial); ppublish}, month = {1996}, pages = {756 - 759}, address = {UNITED STATES}, abstract = {

Trench fever is caused by Bartonella (Rochalimaea) quintana, a small gram-negative rod that is transmitted by body lice. Recently, B. quintana infections in homeless patients have been reported in the United States and Europe. From October 1993 to October 1994, the seroprevalence of antibodies to B. quintana was assessed by indirect immunofluorescence in a prospective study of 221 nonhospitalized homeless people, 43 hospitalized homeless patients (cases), 250 blood donors, and 57 hospitalized matched controls. Four (1.8\%) of 221 nonhospitalized homeless people tested had titers of \> 1:100. Of the 43 cases, seven (16\%) had serological titers of \> or = 1:100. None of the 250 serum samples from blood donors contained antibodies to B. quintana. The presence of antibodies to B. quintana in cases was significantly associated with the presence of body lice, exposure to cats, headaches, eastern European origin, and pain in the legs. This study demonstrates the presence of antibodies to B. quintana in the homeless population and should alert physicians that B. quintana might be an etiologic agent of fever in homeless patients.

}, keywords = {animals, Antibodies, Bacterial/analysis, Blood Donors, cat, Disease Reservoirs, Disease Vectors, Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect, homeless, Hospitalization, humans, lice, Prevalence, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov{\textquoteright}t, risk factors, Seroepidemiologic Studies, trench fever}, isbn = {1058-4838}, url = {https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Survey-of-the-seroprevalence-of-Bartonella-quintana-Brouqui-Houpikian/9689223aa5dce37c7377f13e42c34dc86f84c938}, author = {Brouqui,Philippe and Houpikian,P. and Dupont,H. T. and Toubiana,P. and Obadia,Y. and Lafay,V. and Didier Raoult} } @article {46239, title = {Chronic Bartonella quintana bacteremia in homeless patients}, journal = {New England Journal of Medicine}, volume = {340}, year = {1999}, note = {LR: 20041117; JID: 0255562; 0 (Antibodies, Bacterial); 0 (DNA, Bacterial); ppublish}, month = {1999}, pages = {184 - 189}, address = {UNITED STATES}, abstract = {BACKGROUND: Infection with Bartonella quintana can cause trench fever, endocarditis, bacillary angiomatosis, and peliosis. An outbreak of bacteremia due to B. quintana has been reported among homeless people in Seattle, and the seroprevalence is high among homeless people in both the United States and Europe. Body lice are known to be the vectors of B. quintana. METHODS: We studied all the homeless people who presented in 1997 to the emergency departments of the University Hospital, Marseilles, France. Blood was collected for microimmunofluorescence testing for antibodies against B. quintana and for culture of the bacterium. Body lice were collected and analyzed by the polymerase chain reaction and sequencing of a portion of the citrate synthase gene of B. quintana. RESULTS: In 10 of 71 homeless patients (14 percent), blood cultures were positive for B. quintana, and 21 of the patients (30 percent) had high titers of antibody against the organism. A total of 17 patients (24 percent) had evidence of recent infection (bacteremia or seroconversion). Tests of lice from 3 of the 15 patients from whom they were collected were positive for B. quintana. The homeless people with B. quintana bacteremia were more likely to have been exposed to lice (P=0.002), were more likely to have headaches (P=0.03) and severe leg pain (P<0.001), and had lower platelet counts (P=0.006) than the homeless people who were seronegative for B. quintana and did not have bacteremia; 8 of the 10 patients with bacteremia were afebrile. Five patients had chronic bacteremia, as indicated by positive blood cultures over a period of several weeks. CONCLUSIONS: In an outbreak of urban trench fever among homeless people in Marseilles, B. quintana infections were associated with body lice in patients with nonspecific symptoms or no symptoms.}, keywords = {adult, animals, Antibodies, Bacterial/blood, Bacteremia/complications/epidemiology/microbiology, Bartonella quintana/genetics/immunology/isolation \& purification, Disease Outbreaks, dna, France, homeless, humans, Middle Aged, Pediculus, Seroepidemiologic Studies, trench fever}, isbn = {0028-4793}, author = {Brouqui,Philippe and La Scola,Bernard and Roux,Veronique and Didier Raoult} } @article {46236, title = {Bartonella quintana in body lice collected from homeless persons in Russia}, journal = {Emerging Infectious Diseases}, volume = {5}, year = {1999}, note = {LR: 20041117; JID: 9508155; 0 (DNA, Bacterial); ppublish}, month = {1999}, pages = {176 - 178}, address = {UNITED STATES}, keywords = {animals, Arthropod Vectors/microbiology, Bartonella quintana/genetics/isolation \& purification, dna, homeless, humans, lice infestations, Pediculus, polymerase, Russia, trench fever}, isbn = {1080-6040}, url = {https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Bartonella-quintana-in-body-lice-collected-from-in-Rydkina-Roux/5372dbb31aa485acd946ae027136282fb84d56b5}, author = {E. B. Rydkina and Roux,Veronique and Gagua,E. M. and Predtechenski,A. B. and Tarasevich,Irina V. and Didier Raoult} } @article {46237, title = {Body lice as tools for diagnosis and surveillance of reemerging diseases}, journal = {Journal of clinical microbiology}, volume = {37}, year = {1999}, month = {1999}, pages = {596 - 599}, abstract = {Body lice are vectors of three bacteria which cause human disease: Rickettsia prowazekii, the agent of epidemic typhus; Bartonella quintana, the agent of trench fever; and Borrelia recurrentis, the agent of relapsing fever. A recrudescence of body lice is being observed as the numbers of individuals living under social conditions which predispose individuals to infestation have increased. Because this phenomenon may lead to the reemergence of infections transmitted by body lice, we aimed to assess the occurrence and prevalence of the three agents described above in more than 600 body lice collected from infested individuals in the African countries of Congo, Zimbabwe, and Burundi, in France, in Russia, and in Peru. The presence of the three bacteria in each louse was determined by specific PCR amplification, and the identities of the organisms detected were confirmed by determination of the nucleotide base sequences of the amplification products. Using this approach, we were able to confirm the presence of R. prowazekii in lice collected from refugees in Burundi, among whom typhus was epidemic, and the presence of B. quintana in lice collected from all locations except the Congo. B. recurrentis was never found. Molecular approaches are convenient tools for the detection and identification of bacterial DNA in body lice and for the epidemiological study of louse-borne bacteria from countries where no medical and biological laboratory facilities are available.}, keywords = {animals, Bartonella quintana/isolation \& purification, Borrelia, Burundi, Congo, France, homeless, humans, Insect vectors, Lice Infestations/complications/epidemiology, Pediculus, Peru, polymerase, populations, Relapsing Fever, Rickettsia prowazekii/isolation \& purification, Russia/epidemiology, trench fever, typhus, Zimbabwe}, url = {http://phthiraptera.info/sites/phthiraptera.info/files/46237.pdf}, author = {Roux,Veronique and Didier Raoult} } @article {46218, title = {Survey of three bacterial louse-associated diseases among rural Andean communities in Peru: prevalence of epidemic typhus, trench fever, and relapsing fever}, journal = {Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America}, volume = {29}, year = {1999}, note = {LR: 20041117; JID: 9203213; 0 (Antibodies, Bacterial); ppublish}, month = {1999}, pages = {434 - 436}, address = {UNITED STATES}, abstract = {

Typhus and other louse-transmitted bacterial infections in Peruvian sierra communities are known to occur but have not recently been assessed. In this study, 194 of 1,280 inhabitants of four villages in Calca Province in the Urubamba Valley were included. Thirty-nine (20\%) of the 194 volunteers had antibodies to Rickettsia prowazekii, whereas 24 (12\%) had antibodies to Bartonella quintana and 2 against Borrelia recurrentis. There was a significant correlation between the presence of infesting ectoparasites and antibodies to R. prowazekii, as well as between antibodies to R. prowazekii and ectoparasite infestation and fever in the previous 6 months. The proportion of inhabitants infested with ectoparasites was significantly higher in the highest-altitude village than in the other three villages. Two volunteers\&$\#$39; antibody levels suggested a recent typhus infection, but only B. quintana DNA was amplified from lice. Epidemic typhus remains extant in the area, and B. quintana infections were encountered and documented for the first time in South America.

}, keywords = {adult, animals, Antibodies, Bacterial/blood, Borrelia, humans, Insect vectors, Lice/microbiology, Peru, populations, Prevalence, Relapsing Fever, trench fever, typhus}, isbn = {1058-4838}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1086/520229}, url = {https://academic.oup.com/cid/article/29/2/434/274388}, author = {Didier Raoult and Birtles,R. J. and Montoya,M. and P{\'e}rez,E. and Tissot-Dupont,H. and Roux,Veronique and Guerra,H.} } @article {46209, title = {The body louse as a vector of reemerging human diseases}, journal = {Clinical Infectious Diseases}, volume = {29}, year = {1999}, month = {1999}, pages = {888 - 911}, abstract = {

The body louse, Pediculus humanus humanus, is a strict human parasite, living and multiplying in clothing. Louse infestation is associated with cold weather and a lack of hygiene. Three pathogenic bacteria are transmitted by the body louse. Borrelia recurrentis is a spirochete, the agent of relapsing fever, recently cultured on axenic medium. Historically, massive outbreaks have occurred in Eurasia and Africa, but currently the disease is found only in Ethiopia and neighboring countries. Bartonella quintana is now recognized as an agent of bacillary angiomatosis bacteremia, trench fever, endocarditis, and chronic lymphadenopathy among the homeless. Rickettsia prowazekii is the agent of epidemic typhus. The most recent outbreak (and the largest since World War II) was observed in Burundi. A small outbreak was also reported in Russia in 1997. Louse infestation appears to become more prevalent worldwide, associated with a decline in social and hygienic conditions provoked by civil unrest and economic instability.

}, keywords = {animals, classification, humans, Insect vectors, insecticide, lice, microbiology, Phylogeny, physiology, Relapsing Fever, trench fever, typhus}, url = {http://www.phthiraptera.info/sites/phthiraptera.info/files/45048.pdf}, author = {Didier Raoult and Roux,Veronique} } @article {46093, title = {Detection and culture of Bartonella quintana, Serratia marcescens, and Acinetobacter spp. from decontaminated human body lice}, journal = {Journal of Clinical Microbiology}, volume = {39}, year = {2001}, month = {2001}, pages = {1707 - 1709}, abstract = {As part of a survey for trench fever among homeless people in Marseilles, France, we attempted isolation of Bartonella quintana from body lice. A decontamination protocol of immersion in 70\% ethanol with 0.2\% iodine was devised and was tested with a laboratory colony of body lice. Lice which had been experimentally contaminated with either Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus epidermidis, or Acinetobacter spp. were successfully decontaminated, and this process did not prevent the culture of B. quintana from these lice. One hundred sixty-one lice obtained from homeless patients were studied by the protocol. B. quintana was isolated on axenic medium from 15 of 161 body lice and was detected in 41 of 161 lice by PCR. Acinetobacter spp. and Serratia marcescens were also isolated from body lice. The sensitivities of PCR and culture of B. quintana were 98 and 36\%, respectively. These procedures may be useful for epidemiologic studies of trench fever and for the recovery of strains for characterization and comparison.}, keywords = {Acinetobacter, animals, Bartonella quintana/classification/genetics/isolation \& purification, Culture Media, dna, homeless, humans, Iodine/pharmacology, Pediculus, polymerase, Sensitivity and Specificity, Serratia, trench fever}, url = {http://www.phthiraptera.info/sites/phthiraptera.info/files/44916.pdf}, author = {La Scola,Bernard and Pierre-Edouard Fournier and Brouqui,Philippe and Didier Raoult} } @article {46053, title = {Detection of Bartonella quintana from body lice (Anoplura: Pediculidae) infesting homeless people in Tokyo by molecular technique}, journal = {Journal of Medical Entomology}, volume = {39}, year = {2002}, month = {2002}, pages = {427 - 429}, abstract = {We report detection of Bartonella quintana Brenner, the pathogenic agent of trench fever, from body lice, Pediculus humanus L., infesting homeless people in Tokyo by polymerase chain reaction. Two of 12 (16.7\%) homeless were infested with Bartonella-positive body lice. From the current status of the recent increase of homeless people in many large cities of the developed countries, a medical examination of homeless people should be carefully performed in the consideration of trench fever. Sampling of body lice from clothing of homeless people is recommended for quick and accurate diagnosis of trench fever through the detection of B. quintana DNA.}, keywords = {animals, Bartonella quintana/genetics/isolation \& purification, dna, homeless, humans, Japan, Lice Infestations/parasitology, Pediculus, polymerase, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov{\textquoteright}t, trench fever}, url = {http://www.phthiraptera.info/sites/phthiraptera.info/files/44866.pdf}, author = {Sasaki,Toshinori and Kobayashi,Mutsuo and Agui,Noriaki} } @article {46022, title = {Human pathogens in body and head lice}, journal = {Emerging Infectious Diseases}, volume = {8}, year = {2002}, note = {LR: 20041117; JID: 9508155; RF: 17; ppublish}, month = {2002}, pages = {1515 - 1518}, address = {United States}, abstract = {

Using polymerase chain reaction and sequencing, we investigated the prevalence of Rickettsia prowazekii, Bartonella quintana, and Borrelia recurrentis in 841 body lice collected from various countries. We detected R. prowazekii in body lice from Burundi in 1997 and in lice from Burundi and Rwanda in 2001; B. quintana infections of body lice were widespread. We did not detect B. recurrentis in any lice.

}, keywords = {animals, Bartonella quintana/genetics/isolation \& purification/pathogenicity, Crowding, Disease Outbreaks, humans, Pediculus, polymerase, Prevalence, Rickettsia prowazekii/genetics/isolation \& purification/pathogenicity, trench fever, typhus}, isbn = {1080-6040}, url = {http://phthiraptera.info/sites/phthiraptera.info/files/46022.pdf}, author = {Pierre-Edouard Fournier and Ndihokubwayo,J. B. and Guidran,J. and Kelly,P. J. and Didier Raoult} } @article {45992, title = {Experimental infection of human erythrocytes from alcoholic patients with Bartonella quintana}, journal = {Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences}, volume = {990}, year = {2003}, note = {LR: 20041117; JID: 7506858; 0 (DNA, Bacterial); ppublish}, month = {2003}, pages = {605 - 611}, address = {United States}, abstract = {

Bartonella spp. are found in the erythrocytes of their specific natural hosts and B. quintana bacteremia is associated epidemiologically with lice, alcoholism, and homelessness. The aim of our study was to compare the growth and the number of bacteria per erythrocyte in vitro in laboratory-infected red blood cells from alcoholic patients versus normal blood donor erythrocytes. Enumeration of bacteria was performed either with plate counting or with a real-time PCR quantitative assay. Number of bacteria per cell was determined using immunofluorescence assay and laser confocal microscopy. Although the number of bacteria after 4 days of incubation was similar in the two groups of erythrocytes, we found that the distribution of bacteria per erythrocyte in the two groups was different. Erythrocytes from alcoholics contain significantly more bacteria per cell than erythrocytes from blood donors. Our results suggest that there is a link between alcoholism and infections of B. quintana that may be due to the macrocytosis of erythrocytes.

}, keywords = {Alcoholism/blood, animals, Bartonella quintana/genetics/growth \& development/pathogenicity, Blood Donors, Comparative Study, dna, homeless, humans, Kinetics, Lice/microbiology, Microscopy, Confocal, polymerase, trench fever}, isbn = {0077-8923}, author = {Jean-Marc Rolain and Arnoux,D. and Parzy,D. and Sampol,J. and Didier Raoult} } @article {45955, title = {Cutaneous infections in the homeless}, journal = {La Revue du praticien}, volume = {53}, year = {2003}, note = {LR: 20041117; JID: 0404334; 0 (Anti-Bacterial Agents); 0 (Antifungal Agents); 0 (Diphtheria Toxoid); 0 (Ointments); RF: 15; ppublish}, month = {2003}, pages = {1977 - 1981}, address = {France}, keywords = {AIDS, animals, Anti-Bacterial Agents/administration \& dosage/therapeutic use, Antifungal Agents/administration \& dosage/therapeutic use, bartonella quintana, dermatology, Foot Dermatoses/diagnosis/drug therapy/epidemiology/prevention \& control, France, homeless, humans, Lice Infestations/drug therapy/epidemiology, Ointments, Pediculus, Pyoderma, Relapsing Fever, risk factors, Scabies, scalp dermatoses, Skin Diseases, Infectious/diagnosis/drug therapy/epidemiology/prevention \& control, trench fever, typhus}, isbn = {0035-2640}, author = {Consigny,S. and Chosidow,Olivier} } @article {45898, title = {Multispacer typing technique for sequence-based typing of Bartonella quintana}, journal = {Journal of clinical microbiology}, volume = {43}, year = {2005}, note = {GENBANK/AY660702; GENBANK/AY660703; GENBANK/AY660704; GENBANK/AY660705; GENBANK/AY660706; GENBANK/AY660707; GENBANK/AY660708; GENBANK/AY660709; GENBANK/AY660710; GENBANK/AY660711; GENBANK/AY660712; GENBANK/AY660713; GENBANK/AY660714; GENBANK/AY660715; GENBANK/AY660716; GENBANK/AY660717; GENBANK/AY660718; JID: 7505564; 0 (DNA, Bacterial); 0 (DNA, Ribosomal Spacer); ppublish}, month = {2005}, pages = {41 - 48}, abstract = {Bartonella quintana is a worldwide fastidious bacterium of the Alphaproteobacteria responsible for bacillary angiomatosis, trench fever, chronic lymphadenopathy, and culture-negative endocarditis. The recent genome sequencing of a B. quintana isolate allowed us to propose a genome-wide sequence-based typing method. To ensure sequence discrimination based on highly polymorphic areas, we amplified and sequenced 34 spacers in a large collection of B. quintana isolates. Six of these exhibited polymorphisms and allowed the characterization of 4 genotypes. However, the strain variants suggested by the noncoding sequences did not correlate with the results of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), which suggested a higher degree of variability. Modification of the PFGE profile of one isolate after nine subcultures confirmed that rearrangement frequencies are high in this species, making PFGE unreliable for epidemiological purposes. The low extent of sequence heterogeneity in the species suggests a recent emergence of this bacterium as a human pathogen. Direct typing of natural samples allowed the identification of a fifth genotype in the DNA extracted from a human body louse collected in Burundi. We have named the typing technique herein described multispacer typing.}, keywords = {animals, Bacteremia/microbiology, Bacterial Typing Techniques, Bartonella quintana/classification/genetics/isolation \& purification, dna, electrophoresis, Genotype, humans, Lice/microbiology, Molecular Sequence Data, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov{\textquoteright}t, sequence, trench fever}, isbn = {0095-1137}, author = {Foucault,C. and La Scola,B. and Lindroos,H. and Andersson,S. G. and Didier Raoult} } @article {39757, title = {Louse-associated bacterial infections}, journal = {Infectious Diseases in Clinical Practice}, volume = {9}, year = {2000}, month = {2000}, pages = {281 - 291}, keywords = {angiomatosis, bacillary, bartonella quintana, body, borne, Borrelia, Diagnosis, diseases, epidemic, fever, lice, Relapsing Fever, rickettsia prowazekii, trench fever, typhus}, author = {Foucault,C. and Didier Raoult} } @article {39759, title = {Human lice and disease}, journal = {Infections in Medicine}, volume = {17}, year = {2000}, month = {2000}, pages = {660 - +}, abstract = {

Three species of lice may infest humans: the body louse, the head louse, and the pubic louse. Body lice infestation typically occurs in unsanitary, crowded conditions. Body lice may transmit several diseases, including typhus, trench fever, and louse-borne relapsing fever.

}, keywords = {fever, lice, Relapsing Fever, trench fever, typhus}, author = {Goddard,Jerome} }