@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 {46212,
	title = {Epidemic typhus in Africa},
	journal = {Medecine Tropicale},
	volume = {59},
	year = {1999},
	note = {LR: 20041117; JID: 8710146; RF: 91; ppublish},
	month = {1999},
	pages = {181 - 192},
	address = {FRANCE},
	abstract = {Epidemic typhus is caused by a small strictly intracellular virus named Rickettsia prowazekii, a member of the Rickettsial family. It is transmitted to man by the body louse, Pediculus humanus. Although now rare in Western countries, exanthematic typhus remains common in the Southern hemisphere due to poverty, inadequate clothing hygiene, and poor socioeconomic conditions. In Africa, outbreaks have historically occurred in Burundi, Rwanda, southwest Ouganda, and Ethiopia. The largest outbreak of epidemic typhus since the World War II was reported in Burundi where ongoing civil war since October 1993 has forced 10 p. 100 of the population of Burundi to live in cold, promiscuity, and malnutrition of makeshift refugee camps. The purpose of this report based on our two-year experience working with this unfortunate population is to describe the characteristics of this disease in Africa where the epidemic form had become rare until recently. Indeed political unrest as well as numerous civil wars are now epidmiological factors favorizing outbreaks of epidemic typhus at any time. This overview also provides an opportunity to recall epidemiological, bacteriological, and clinical aspects of typhus as well as diagnosis and treatment of the disease in the context of Africa.},
	keywords = {Africa, animals, Burundi, Diagnosis, Differential, Disease Outbreaks/statistics \& numerical data, English Abstract, humans, Insect vectors, Lice/microbiology, populations, risk factors, typhus, war},
	isbn = {0025-682X},
	author = {Ndihokubwayo,J. B. and Didier Raoult}
}
@article {46044,
	title = {Seasonality trends of Pediculosis capitis and Phthirus pubis in a young adult population: follow-up of 20 years},
	journal = {Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology},
	volume = {16},
	year = {2002},
	note = {LR: 20041117; JID: 9216037; ppublish},
	month = {2002},
	pages = {257 - 259},
	address = {Netherlands},
	abstract = {BACKGROUND: It is not mandatory to report Pediculosis capitis and Phthirus pubis in most countries; therefore, little is known about the seasonality of these infestations. METHODS: We analysed the data based on routine and mandatory reporting of every case of Pediculosis capitis and Phthirus pubis to the Army Health Branch Epidemiology Department, Israel, over the last two decades. RESULTS: The average 20-year incidence of Pediculosis capitis shows a significant rise during the warmer months (R2 = 0.692, P < 0.05) with a parallel significant decrease in the cooler months (R2 = 0.893, P < 0.05). The results for Phthirus pubis show a significantly higher person-time incidence in the winter (P < 0.001). Sensitivity analysis to investigate possible sources of heterogeneity during this time indicated that no single year was an important source of heterogeneity. CONCLUSIONS: Pediculosis capitis is more frequent in the warmer months, whereas Phthirus pubis is more dominant in the cooler months.},
	keywords = {adult, animals, Follow-Up Studies, groin, humans, incidence, Israel/epidemiology, Lice Infestations/epidemiology, Linear Models, Middle Aged, Military Personnel, Pediculus, populations, Pthirus, scalp dermatoses, Seasons},
	isbn = {0926-9959},
	author = {Mimouni,D. and Ankol,O. E. and Gdalevich,M. and Grotto,I. and Davidovitch,N. and Zangvil,E.}
}
@article {45627,
	title = {Studies on populations of head lice (Pediculus humanus capitis: Anoplura), II},
	journal = {Parasitology},
	volume = {3052},
	year = {1938},
	month = {1938},
	pages = {85 - 110},
	keywords = {ecology, Pediculosis, populations},
	url = {http://phthiraptera.info/sites/phthiraptera.info/files/45627.pdf},
	author = {Buxton,Patrick Alfred}
}
