@article {96422, title = {Lice and lice-borne diseases in humans in Africa: A narrative review}, journal = {Acta Tropica}, volume = {237}, year = {2023}, month = {Jan-01-2023}, abstract = {

Lice are host-specific insects. Human lice include Pediculus humanus (body lice) which are known to be vectors of serious human bacterial infectious diseases including epidemic typhus, relapsing fever, trench fever and plague; Pediculus humanus capitis (head lice) that frequently affect children; and Pthirus pubis, commonly known as crab lice. In Africa, human infections transmitted by lice remained poorly known and therefore, underestimated, perhaps due to the lack of diagnostic tools and professional knowledge. In this paper we review current knowledge of the microorganisms identified in human lice in the continent of Africa, in order to alert health professionals to the importance of recognizing the risk of lice-related diseases.

}, keywords = {Africa, Bartonella, Borrelia, lice, Rickettsia, Yersinia}, issn = {0001-706X}, doi = {10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106709}, url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0001706X22004016}, author = {Basma Ouarti and Descartes Maxime Mbogning-Fonkou and Houhamdi,Linda and Oleg Mediannikov and Parola,Phillipe} } @article {96169, title = {Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry: an emerging tool for studying the vectors of human infectious diseases}, journal = {Future Microbiology}, volume = {16}, year = {2021}, month = {Mar-01-2021}, pages = {323-340}, abstract = {

Arthropod vectors have historically been identified morphologically, and more recently using molecular biology methods. However, both of these methods are time-consuming and require specific expertise and equipment. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, which has revolutionized the routine identification of microorganisms in clinical microbiology laboratories, was recently successfully applied to the identification of arthropod vectors. Since then, the robustness of this identification technique has been confirmed, extended to a large panel of arthropod vectors, and assessed for detecting blood feeding behavior and identifying the infection status in regard to certain pathogenic agents. In this study, we summarize the state-of-the-art of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry applied to the identification of arthropod vectors (ticks, mosquitoes, phlebotomine sand-flies, fleas, triatomines, lice and Culicoides), their trophic preferences and their ability to discriminate between infection statuses.

}, keywords = {arthropod, entomology, MALDI-TOF MS, mosquitos, ticks, vector}, issn = {1746-0913, 1746-0921}, doi = {10.2217/fmb-2020-0145}, url = {https://www.futuremedicine.com/doi/10.2217/fmb-2020-0145}, author = {Jacques Sevestre and Adama Zan Diarra and Maureen Laroche and Lionel Almeras and Parola,Phillipe} } @article {96129, title = {Molecular detection of microorganisms in lice collected from farm animals in Northeastern Algeria}, journal = {Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases}, volume = {74}, year = {2021}, month = {Feb-01-2021}, abstract = {

Lice (Phthiraptera) are highly specific insects organized into four suborders (Anoplura, amblycera, ischnocera and rhynchophthirina). Lice may affect human and animal health. Our objective was to study the bacterial community of lice collected in Algeria. Using molecular tools, we were able to identify by real time PCR the presence of Coxiella burnetii DNA in 1\% (3/300) Linognathus africanus and in 0.3\% (1/300) Linognathus vituli collected from goats and cattle respectively. We also detected the presence of\  Anaplasmataceae bacteria in Bovicola bovis, L. vituli from cattle and in L. africanus from goats. By standard PCR\’s and sequencing, we were able to identify Anaplasma ovis in L. africanus as well as a novel Anaplasmataceae sp genotype corresponding probably to a new genus within this family.

}, keywords = {Anaplasmataceae, cattle, Coxiella burnetii, Goats., Phthiraptera, sheep}, issn = {0147-9571}, doi = {10.1016/j.cimid.2020.101569}, url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0147957120301582}, author = {Basma Ouarti and Oleg Mediannikov and Souad Righi and Ahmed Benakhla and Didier Raoult and Parola,Phillipe} } @article {95942, title = {Identification of Lice Stored in Alcohol Using MALDI-TOF MS}, journal = {Journal of Medical Entomology}, volume = {58}, year = {2020}, month = {Dec-21-2020}, pages = {1126-1133}, abstract = {

Lice pose major public and veterinary health problems with economic consequences. Their identification is essential and requires the development of an innovative strategy. MALDI-TOF MS has recently been proposed as a quick, inexpensive, and accurate tool for the identification of arthropods. Alcohol is one of the most frequently used storage methods and makes it possible to store samples for long periods at room temperature. Several recent studies have reported that alcohol alters protein profiles resulting from MS analysis. After preliminary studies on frozen lice, the purpose of this research was to evaluate the influence of alcohol preservation on the accuracy of lice identification by MALDI-TOF MS. To this end, lice stored in alcohol for variable periods were submitted for MS analysis and sample preparation protocols were optimized. The reproducibility and specificity of the MS spectra obtained on both these arthropod families allowed us to implement the reference MS spectra database (DB) with protein profiles of seven lice species stored in alcohol. Blind tests revealed a correct identification of 93.9\% of Pediculus humanus corporis (Linnaeus, 1758) and 98.4\% of the other lice species collected in the field. This study demonstrated that MALDI-TOF MS could be successfully used for the identification of lice stored in alcohol for different lengths of time.

R\ésum\é

Les poux posent des probl\èmes majeurs de sant\é publique et v\ét\érinaire, avec des cons\équences \économiques. Leur identification est essentielle et n\écessite le d\éveloppement d\’une strat\égie innovante. Le MALDI-TOF MS a r\écemment \ét\é propos\é comme un outil rapide, peu co\ûteux et pr\écis pour l\’identification des arthropodes. L\’alcool est l\’une des m\éthodes de stockage les plus fr\équemment utilis\ées et permet de conserver les \échantillons pendant de longues p\ériodes \à temp\érature ambiante. Plusieurs \études r\écentes ont rapport\é que l\’alcool modifie les profils prot\éiques r\ésultant de l\’analyse de la SEP. Apr\ès des \études pr\éliminaires sur les poux congel\és, le but de cette recherche \était d\’\évaluer l\’influence de la conservation de l\’alcool sur la pr\écision de l\’identification des poux par la SEP MALDI-TOF. \À cette fin, des poux conserv\és dans l\’alcool pendant des p\ériodes variables ont \ét\é soumis \à l\’analyse de la SEP et les protocoles de pr\éparation des \échantillons ont \ét\é optimis\és. La reproductibilit\é et la sp\écificit\é des spectres de MS obtenus sur ces arthropodes nous ont permis de mettre en \œuvre la base de donn\ées des spectres de MS de r\éf\érence (DB) avec les profils prot\éiques de sept esp\èces de poux stock\és dans l\’alcool. Des tests en aveugle ont r\év\él\é une identification correcte de 93,9\% de Pediculus humanus corporis (Linnaeus, 1758) et de 98,4\% des autres esp\èces de poux collect\ées sur le terrain. Cette \étude a d\émontr\é que le MALDI-TOF MS pouvait \être utilis\é avec succ\ès pour l\’identification des poux stock\és dans l\’alcool pendant diff\érentes dur\ées.

Attached pdf file is preprint copy

}, keywords = {identification, lice, MALDI-TOF MS, storage method}, issn = {0022-2585, 1938-2928}, doi = {10.1093/jme/tjaa266}, url = {https://academic.oup.com/jme/article-abstract/58/3/1126/6042599}, author = {Hanene Benyahia and Basma Ouarti and Adama Zan Diarra and Mehdi Boucheikhchoukh and Mohamed Nadir Meguini and Makhlouf Behidji and Ahmed Benakhla and Parola,Phillipe and Lionel Almeras} } @article {95479, title = {Rickettsioses}, journal = {La Revue du Praticien}, volume = {70}, year = {2020}, month = {02-2020}, pages = {201-205}, abstract = {

Article in French

Les rickettsioses sont des zoonoses caus\ées par bact\éries intracellulaires strictes appartenant \à l\’ordre des Rickettsiales. Elles sont transmises par des arthropodes vecteurs. Actuellement, plusieurs groupes de maladies restent commun\ément appel\ées rickettsioses. Les rickettsies du groupe \«\ boutonneux\ \» sont transmises principalement par les tiques ou les puces (Rickettsia felis) et celles du groupe \«\ typhus\ \» transmises par des puces ou des poux. Il faut ajouter \à cela le typhus des broussailles, caus\é par Orientia tsutsugamushi, transmis par des arthropodes proches des ao\ûtats. Coxiella burnetii, l\’agent de la fi\èvre Q, a longtemps \ét\é class\ée dans les rickettsies, mais les progr\ès de la phylog\én\étique ont montr\é que cette bact\érie appartient \à un autre groupe bact\érien\ ;1 la fi\èvre Q ne sera donc pas trait\ée ici.1, 2 En France m\étropolitaine, ce sont essentiellement les rickettsioses transmises par les tiques qui sont diagnostiqu\ées, mais les rickettsioses sont des causes fr\équentes de fi\èvre au retour de voyage.

Abstract in English

Rickettsioses are caused by intracellular bacteria from order of rickettsiales. They are transmitted by arthropods, mainly ticks, lice, fleas or other species close to chiggers, mainly in tropical areas. Some rickettsioses are endemic in France and others can be seen in patients returning from travel, including those presenting with \"fever of unknown origin\". Rickettsiae can\&$\#$39;t be isolated by conventional blood cultures in the laboratory. The diagnosis of rickettsial diseases is often made by serology, but specific PCR based on the swab of an inoculation eschar when it is present is a simple and rapid tool. The standard treatment for rickettsioses is doxycycline, that should be started as soon as clinical suspicion occurs, before diagnostic confirmation since some rickettsial diseases can be fatal

}, keywords = {Rickettsia Infections}, url = {https://www.larevuedupraticien.fr/article/rickettsioses}, author = {Carole Eldin and Parola,Phillipe} } @article {95315, title = {Vector-borne nematode diseases in pets and humans in the Mediterranean Basin: An update}, journal = {Veterinary World}, volume = {12}, year = {2019}, month = {10-2019}, pages = {1630 - 1643}, type = {Open Access}, abstract = {

Vector-borne diseases (VBDs) are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in humans and animals. The scale of VBDs is increasing worldwide, including in the Mediterranean Basin, a region exposed to climate changes. Indeed, weather conditions may influence the abundance and distribution of vectors. The vector-borne nematode diseases of dogs and cats, such as dirofilariosis, onchocercosis, thelaziosis, Cercopithifilaria, and Acanthocheilonema infections, are some of these vectorized diseases, several of which are zoonoses. They are all caused by parasitic nematodes transmitted by arthropods, including mosquitoes (Dirofilaria spp.), black flies (Onchocerca lupi), drosophilids (Thelazia callipaeda), ticks (Acanthocheilonema dracunculoides and Cercopithifilaria bainae), and fleas and lice (Acanthocheilonema reconditum). The control and prevention of these infections and diseases require a multidisciplinary approach based on strengthening collaboration between the different actors in the fields of health, research, sociology, economics, governments and citizens, to improve human, animal, and ecosystem health. This is the concept of \“one health.\” The review aimed to provide a general update on the spatial and temporal distribution of vector-borne nematodes diseases affecting companion animals and humans, as well as the vectors involved in the Mediterranean area. Simultaneously, certain epidemiological parameters, diagnosis, treatment, and control of these diseases based on the \“one health\” concept will also be discussed.

}, keywords = {arthropods, companion animals, humans, Mediterranean Basin, one health, parasites, vectors, zoonoses}, issn = {09728988}, doi = {1010.14202/vetworld.2019.1630-1643}, url = {http://www.veterinaryworld.org/Vol.12/October-2019/17.html}, author = {Djamel Tahir and Bernard Davoust and Parola,Phillipe} } @article {95184, title = {Molecular Detection of Acinetobacter Species in Lice and Keds of Domestic Animals in Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia}, journal = {PLoS ONE}, volume = {7}, year = {2012}, month = {12-2012}, pages = {10 pp}, type = {e52377 Open Access}, abstract = {

This study was conducted to determine the presence of Acinetobacter and Rickettsia species DNA in lice and Melophagus ovinus (sheep ked) of animals from Oromia Regional State in Ethiopia. From September through November 2011, a total of 207 cattle, 85 sheep, 47 dogs and 16 cats were examined for ectoparasites. Results of morphological identification revealed several species of ectoparasites: Linognathus vituli (L. vituli), Bovicola bovis (B. bovis) and Solenopotes capillatus (S. capillatus) on cattle; B. ovis and Melophagus ovinus (M. ovinus) on sheep; and Heterodoxus spiniger (H. spiniger) on dogs. There was a significantly (p\≤0.0001) higher prevalence of L. vituli observed in cattle than both S. capillatus and B. bovis. Molecular identification of lice using an 18S rRNA gene analysis confirms the identified lice species by morphological methods. We detected different Acinetobacter species among lice (11.1\%) and keds (86.4\%) including A. soli in L. vituli of cattle, A. lowffii in M. ovinus of sheep, A. pittii in H. spiniger of dogs, 1 new Acinetobacter spp. in M. ovinus and 2 new Acinetobacter spp. in H. spiniger of dogs using partial rpoB gene sequence analysis. There was a significantly higher prevalence of Acinetobacter spp. in keds than in lice (p\≤0.00001). Higher percentage of Acinetobacter spp. DNA was detected in H. spiniger than in both B. ovis and L. vituli (p\≤0.00001). Carbapenemase resistance encoding genes for blaOXA-23, blaOXA-24, blaOXA-58, blaNDM-1 and blaOXA-51 were not found in any lice and keds. These findings suggest that synanthropic animals and their ectoparasites might increase the risk of human exposure to zoonotic pathogens and could be a source for Acinetobacter spp. infections in humans. However, additional epidemiological data are required to determine whether ectoparasites of animals can act as environmental reservoirs and play a role in spreading these bacteria to both animal and human hosts.

}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0052377}, url = {https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0052377}, author = {Bersissa Kumsa and Cristina Socolovschi and Parola,Phillipe and Jean-Marc Rolain and Didier Raoult} } @article {95091, title = {Development of MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry for the identification of lice isolated from farm animals}, journal = {Parasite}, volume = {27}, year = {2020}, month = {04-2020}, pages = {14 pp}, type = {Open Access}, abstract = {

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) is now routinely used for the rapid identification of microorganisms isolated from clinical samples and has been recently successfully applied to the identification of arthropods. In the present study, this proteomics tool was used to identify lice collected from livestock and poultry in Algeria. The MALDI-TOF MS spectra of 408 adult specimens were measured for 14 species, including Bovicola bovis, B. ovis, B. caprae, Haematopinus eurysternus, Linognathus africanus, L. vituli, Solenopotes capillatus, Menacanthus stramineus, Menopon gallinae, Chelopistes meleagridis, Goniocotes gallinae, Goniodes gigas, Lipeurus caponis and laboratory reared Pediculus humanus corporis. Good quality spectra were obtained for 305 samples. Spectral analysis revealed intra-species reproducibility and inter-species specificity that were consistent with the morphological classification. A blind test of 248 specimens was performed against the in-lab database upgraded with new spectra and validated using molecular tools. With identification percentages ranging from 76\% to 100\% alongside high identification scores (mean\ =\ 2.115), this study proposes MALDI-TOF MS as an effective tool for discriminating lice species.

French title: D\éveloppement de la spectrom\étrie de masse MALDI-TOF MS pour l\’identification de poux isol\és d\’animaux de ferme

R\ésum\é

La Spectrom\étrie de Masse \à Temps de Vol par D\ésorption/Ionisation Laser Assist\ée apr\ès Matrice est maintenant utilis\ée pour l\’identification rapide des microorganismes isol\és \à partir d\’\échantillons cliniques et a r\écemment \ét\é appliqu\ée avec succ\ès pour l\’identification des arthropodes. Dans cette \étude, cet outil prot\éomique a \ét\é utilis\é pour identifier les poux pr\élev\és sur le b\étail et la volaille en Alg\érie. Les spectres MALDI-TOF MS de 408 sp\écimens adultes ont \ét\é mesur\és pour 14 esp\èces, dont Bovicola bovis, B. ovis, B. caprae, Haematopinus eurysternus, Linognathus africanus, L. vituli, Solenopotes capillatus, Menacanthus stramineus, Menopon gallinae, Chelopistes meleagridis, Goniocotes gallinae, Goniodes gigas, Lipeurus caponis et Pediculus humanus corporis \élev\é en laboratoire. Des spectres de bonne qualit\é ont \ét\é obtenus pour 305 \échantillons. L\’analyse spectrale a r\év\él\é une reproductibilit\é intra-esp\èce et une sp\écificit\é inter-esp\èces qui concordaient avec la classification morphologique. Un test \à l\’aveugle de 248 \échantillons a \ét\é effectu\é par rapport \à la base de donn\ées de notre laboratoire mise \à niveau avec de nouveaux spectres et valid\ée \à l\’aide d\’outils mol\éculaires. Avec des pourcentages d\’identification allant de 76 \à 100\ \% et des scores d\’identification \élev\és (moyenne\ : 2,115), cette \étude propose MALDI-TOF MS comme un outil efficace pour distinguer les esp\èces de poux.

}, keywords = {lice, MALDI-TOF MS, Mallophaga}, doi = {10.1051/parasite/2020026}, url = {https://www.parasite-journal.org/10.1051/parasite/2020026}, author = {Basma Ouarti and Maureen Laroche and Souad Righi and Mohamed Nadir Meguini and Ahmed Benakhla and Didier Raoult and Parola,Phillipe} } @article {94771, title = {Neglected vector-borne bacterial diseases and arboviruses in the Mediterranean area}, journal = {New Microbes and New Infections}, volume = {26}, year = {2018}, month = {11-2018}, pages = {S31 - S36}, abstract = {

Arthropod vectors can transmit pathogenic microorganisms from one vertebrate to another during their blood meal. Although some vector- borne diseases have been eradicated in the Mediterranean area, such as malaria and dengue, recent endemic microorganisms (Toscana virus, Rickettsia spp.) remain neglected even though they cause many more cases. New diagnostic tools and innovative tools for the identification and characterization of vector species and microorganisms have been developed at IHU M\éditerran\ée Infection, either internally or through collaborative and integrated projects. We have detected Rickettsia slovaca as a human pathogen and have described the disease; we have shown that Rickettsia felis can be transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes; we have emphasized the increasing importance of bedbug (Cimex lectularius) as a potential vector of Bartonella quintana; and we have described the Toscana virus, a major agent of meningitis and meningoencephalitis which was disseminated in North Africa and Central and Eastern Europe, where it frequently cocirculates with a large number of newly described phleboviruses transmitted by sand flies.

}, keywords = {arbovirus, arthropods, fleas, lice, phlebovirus, sand fly, ticks, Toscana virus, virus}, issn = {20522975}, doi = {10.1016/j.nmni.2018.08.015}, url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S2052297518300751}, author = {Remi N. Charrel and Jean-michel Berenger and Maureen Laroche and Nazli Ayhan and BITAM, I. and Pascal Delaunay and Parola,Phillipe} } @article {94580, title = {Insects and the Transmission of Bacterial Agents}, journal = {Microbiology Spectrum}, volume = {6}, year = {2018}, month = {May-10-2018}, pages = {MTBP- 0017-2016}, type = {On-line}, abstract = {

Arthropods are small invertebrate animals, among which some species are hematophagous. It is during their blood meal that they can transmit pathogenic microorganisms that they may be harboring to the vertebrate host that they parasitize, which in turn will potentially develop a vector-borne disease. The transmission may occur directly through their bite, but also through contaminated feces. Zoonotic diseases, diseases that can naturally be transmitted between humans and animals, are a considerable part of emerging diseases worldwide, and a major part of them are vector-borne. Research and public attention has long been focused on malaria and mosquito-borne arboviruses, and bacterial vector-borne diseases remains today a neglected field of medical entomology. Despite the emphasis on Lyme disease in recent decades, and despite the major outbreaks caused by bacteria in the last few centuries, this field has in fact been poorly explored and is therefore relatively poorly known, other than the most famous examples such as the plague and epidemic typhus outbreaks. Here we propose to review the state of knowledge of bacterial agents transmitted by arthropod vectors.

}, keywords = {arthropods, bacteria, lice, mosquitoes, Rickettsia}, doi = {10.1128/microbiolspec.MTBP-0017-2016}, url = {http://www.asmscience.org/content/journal/microbiolspec/10.1128/microbiolspec.MTBP-0017-2016}, author = {Maureen Laroche and Didier Raoult and Parola,Phillipe} } @article {94520, title = {Body lice of homeless people reveal the presence of several emerging bacterial pathogens in northern Algeria}, journal = {PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases}, volume = {12}, year = {2018}, month = {17 April 018}, pages = {e0006397}, abstract = {

Author summary
Head lice, Pediculus h. capitis, and body lice, Pediculus h. humanus, are obligatory blood- sucking ectoparasites. The body lice occur in two divergent mitochondrial clades (A and D) each exhibiting a particular geographic distribution. Currently, the body louse is the only recognized vector for louse-borne diseases. In this work, we aimed to study the genetic diversity of body lice collected from homeless individuals in Algeria and to investi- gate louse-borne pathogens in these lice. To the best of our knowledge, our study is the first to show the presence of Bartonella quintana, Coxiella burnetii, Anaplasma phagocyto- philum and several species of Acinetobacter in human body lice from Algeria. These find- ings should strongly encourage further epidemiological investigations and surveys of louse-associated infections, and better understanding of the role of body lice as a broader vector of several bacterial pathogens in humans than previously reported in the literature.

Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Human lice, Pediculus humanus, are obligate blood-sucking parasites. Body lice, Pediculus h. humanus, occur in two divergent mitochondrial clades (A and D) each exhibiting a particular geographic distribution. Currently, the body louse is recognized as the only vector for louse-borne diseases. In this study, we aimed to study the genetic diversity of body lice collected from homeless populations in three localities of northern Algeria, and to investigate louse-borne pathogens in these lice.
METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:
In this study, 524 body lice specimens were collected from 44 homeless people in three localities: Algiers, Tizi Ouzou and Boumerd\ès located in northern Algeria. Duplex clade specific real-time PCRs (qPCR) and Cytochrome b (cytb) mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis were performed in order to identify the mitochondrial clade. Screening of louse-borne pathogens bacteria was based on targeting specific genes for each pathogen using qPCR supplemented by sequencing. All body lice belong to clade A. Through amplification and sequencing of the cytb gene we confirmed the presence of three haplotypes: A5, A9 and A63, which is novel. The molecular investigation of the 524 body lice samples revealed the presence of four human pathogens: Bartonella quintana (13.35\%), Coxiella burnetii (10.52\%), Anaplasma phagocytophilum (0.76\%) and Acinetobacter species (A. baumannii, A. johnsonii, A. berezeniae, A. nosocomialis and A. variabilis, in total 46.94\%).

CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE:
To the best of our knowledge, our study is the first to show the genetic diversity and presence of several emerging pathogenic bacteria in homeless\&$\#$39; body lice from Algeria. We also report for the first time, the presence of several species of Acinetobacter in human body lice. Our results highlight the fact that body lice may be suspected as being a much broader vector of several pathogenic agents than previously thought. Nevertheless, other studies are needed to encourage epidemiological investigations and surveys of louse-associated infections.

Dec 2022- This article has been identified as one of a series of submissions for which we have concerns about the reported research ethics approval information and the article\’s adherence to PLOS research ethics policies.

PLOS will be investigating these concerns in accordance with COPE guidance and journal policies. Meanwhile, the PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases Editors issue this Expression of Concern. See https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0010979 or https://phthiraptera.myspecies.info/node/96443

}, keywords = {Algeria, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, bartonella quintana, body lice, Coxiella burnetii, head lice, mitochondrial clades}, doi = {10.1371/journal.pntd.0006397}, url = {https://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0006397}, author = {Meriem Louni and MANA, N. and BITAM, I. and Mustapha Dahmani and Parola,Phillipe and Florence Fenollar and Didier Raoult and Oleg Mediannikov}, editor = {Joseph M. Vinetz} } @article {47465, title = {Bartonella quintana, lice, and molecular tools.}, journal = {Journal of Medical Entomology}, volume = {43}, year = {2006}, month = {2006}, pages = {787 - 787}, abstract = {

Comments on:First Molecular Evidence of Bartonella quintana in Pediculus humanus capitis (Phthiraptera: Pediculidae) Collected from Nepalese Children. by TOSHINORI SASAKI, SHREE KANTA S POUDEL, HARUHIKO ISAWA, TOSHIHIKO HAYASHI, NAOMI SEKI, TAKASHI TOMITA, KYOKO SAWABE, AND MUTSUO KOBAYASHI see Ref. No. 46606

}, url = {http://www.phthiraptera.info/sites/phthiraptera.info/files/46586.pdf}, author = {Parola,Phillipe and Pierre-Edouard Fournier and Didier Raoult} } @article {46036, title = {First molecular evidence of new Bartonella spp. in fleas and a tick from Peru}, journal = {American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene}, volume = {67}, year = {2002}, note = {LR: 20041117; JID: 0370507; 0 (DNA, Bacterial); 0 (DNA, Intergenic); CIN: Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2002 Aug;67(2):133-4. PMID: 12389934; ppublish}, month = {2002}, pages = {135 - 136}, address = {United States}, abstract = {

Fleas, lice, and ticks collected in Peru in a suburban area of Cusco in November 1998 were tested by polymerase chain reaction for the presence of Bartonella DNA using primers amplifying a fragment of the intergenic spacer region (ITS) gene. Three new Bartonella genotypes were detected in Pulex fleas self-collected from the beds and clothes of schoolchildren and adults. A fourth new genotype was also detected from a tick found on a sheep in the same area. One of the genotypes is closely related to B. vinsoni subsp. berkhoffii, and the others seem to originate from unknown Bartonella species, whose medical importance has yet to be clarified.

}, keywords = {animals, Bartonella/classification/isolation \& purification, Disease Vectors, dna, Dog Diseases, Fleas/microbiology, genes, Genotype, humans, Lice/microbiology, Peru, Phylogeny, polymerase, sheep, Swine, Ticks/microbiology}, isbn = {0002-9637}, url = {http://www.ajtmh.org/docserver/fulltext/14761645/67/2/12389935.pdf?expires=1558007697\&id=id\&accname=guest\&checksum=E54B1F2214DEDD05FAEB8D81B77F4D07}, author = {Parola,Phillipe and Shpynov,S. and Montoya,M. and Lopez,M. and Houpikian,P. and Zeaiter,Z. and Guerra,H. and Didier Raoult} } @article {45879, title = {Lice and lice-borne diseases in humans}, journal = {Medecine Tropicale}, volume = {65}, year = {2005}, note = {JID: 8710146; ppublish}, month = {2005}, pages = {13 - 23}, address = {France}, abstract = {Among the three lice which parasite the human being, the human body louse, Pediculus humanus humanus, is a vector of infectious diseases. It lives and multiplies in clothes and human infestation is associated with cold weather and a lack of hygiene. Three pathogenic bacteria are transmitted by the body louse: 1) Rickettsia prowazekii, the agent of epidemic typhus of which the most recent outbreak (and the largest since World War II) was observed during the civil war in Burundi; 2) Borrelia recurrentis, the agent of relapsing fever, historically responsible of massive outbreaks in Eurasia and Africa, which prevails currently in Ethiopia and neighboring countries; 3) Bartonella quintana, the agent of trench fever, bacillary angiomatosis, chronic bacteremia, endocarditis, and lymphadenopathy. Body louse infestation, associated with a decline in social and hygienic conditions provoked by civil unrest and economic instability, is reemergent worldwide. Recently, a forth human pathogen, Acinetobacter baumannii, has been associated to the body louse.}, isbn = {0025-682X}, author = {Houhamdi,Linda and Parola,Phillipe and Didier Raoult} }