@article {95151, title = {Mitochondrial diversity and phylogeographic analysis of Pediculus humanus reveals a new Amazonian clade {\textquotedblleft}F{\textquotedblright}}, journal = {Infection, Genetics and Evolution}, volume = {70}, year = {2019}, month = {06-2019}, pages = {1 - 8}, abstract = {

Pediculus humanus is an obligate and highly intimate bloodsucking insect parasite of humans that has two ecotypes, head louse and body louse. This study analyzed genetic diversity at three mitochondrial genes (cytochrome b [cytb], cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 [cox1] and 12S ribosomal RNA [12S]) in 98 head lice collected from an isolated Native American population from the Wayampi community in Trois-Sauts, French Guiana. These results are integrated with all prior data of P. humanus (1402 cytb, 743 cox1 and 344 12S) from other parts of the world. The phylogenetic analysis revealed six highly divergent and well-supported monophyletic clades. Five clades corresponded to the previously recognized mitochondrial clades A, D, B, C and E, while the sixth (clade F) was novel, as it exhibited 5.4\%, 3.7\% and 3.6\% divergence at cytb, cox1 and 12S, respectively, from its nearest neighbor clade B. Interestingly, the clade F has only been recovered in a few lice sequences from Mexico and Argentina, while it was the most common lineage in the Amazonian lice, which hints its association with the Native American region. Furthermore, Pediculus mjobergi, a New World monkeys\&$\#$39; louse, which is thought to be transmitted to monkeys from the first humans that had reached the American continent thousands of years ago, also belonged to this clade, suggesting that this louse may not be a separate species but an evolutionary lineage of P. humanus. The discovery of new Amazonian clade F with the recovery of additional haplotypes within each of the five clades demonstrates that the levels of genetic diversity in P. humanus are higher than previously thought.

Supplementary data to this article can be found online at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meegid.2019.02.006

Figure\  S1. (A)\  Cytb\  sequences\  alignment\  and\  (B)\  DNA\  sequence\  chromatograms\  of clade F haplotypes identified in this study showing the polymorphic sites.

Figure\  S2.\  (A)\  Cox1\  sequences\  alignment\  and\  (B)\  DNA\  sequence\  chromatograms\  of clade F haplotypes identified in this study showing the polymorphic sites.\ 

Figure S2.(A) 12S sequences alignment and (B) DNA sequence chromatograms of clade F haplotypes identified in this study showing the polymorphic sites.

Figure\  S4.\  (A)\  12S\  sequences\  alignment\  of\  clade\  F\  haplotypes\  and\  (B)\  12S\  DNA sequence chromatogram of P. mjobergi amplified in this study.

Figure\  S5.Maximum-likelihood\  (ML)\  analysis\  of Cytb\  (A), Cox1\  (B)\  and\  12S\  (C) haplotypes of Pediculushumanus. Bootstrap values (500 replicates) are shown above thebranches.\  The\  scale\  bar\  shows\  K2P\  distances.\  The\  node\  for\  each\  clade\  with\  multiple haplotypes is collapsed to a vertical triangle, with the horizontal depth indicating the level of intra-clade divergence. Bracketed numbers next to each clade\’s name indicate the number of haplotypes\  analyzed\  and\  the\  average\  intra-clade\  distance.\  Analyses\  were\  conducted\  in MEGA6.

Table\  S1.\  Additional\  louse\  specimens\  included\  in\  this\  study,\  obtained\  from\  the\  private\  frozen collection of world lice belonging to our laboratory.

Table\  S2.Pediculus\  mjobergi\  sequences\  from\  new\  world\  monkey\  (Alouatta\  caraya) included in this study. The cox1 and cytb P. mjobergi sequences analyzed in this study were those\  reported\  by\  Drali\  et\  al.\  (2016)\  collected\  from\  two\  monkey\  individuals\  B2188\  and B1395.\  The\  12S\  sequences\  were\  amplified\  in\  this\  study\  from\  three P.\  mjobergi\  specimens from monkey individual B2188.

Table S3. Geographic occurrences and frequencies of cytb haplotypes of human head and body lice.

Table\  S4.\  Geographic\  occurrences\  and\  frequencies\  ofcox1\  haplotypes\  of\  human\  head and body lice

Table S5. Geographic occurrences and frequencies of 12S haplotypes of human head 576 and body lice.

Table\  S6.\  Distribution of\  the\  head\  lice\  haplotypes identified\  in\  this\  study,\  according\  to mitochondrial genes, among the 22 infested Amazonian individuals.

}, keywords = {Amazonia, Clade F, Genetic diversity, phylogeography}, issn = {15671348}, doi = {10.1016/j.meegid.2019.02.006}, url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1567134818306750}, author = {Nadia Amanzougaghene and Florence Fenollar and Bernard Davoust and F{\'e}lix Djossou and Muhammad Ashfaq and BITAM, I. and Didier Raoult and Oleg Mediannikov} } @article {95058, title = {Contribution {\`a} la connaissance des ectoparasites d{\textquoteright}oiseaux en Alg{\'e}rie}, journal = {Bulletin de la Soci{\'e}t{\'e} zoologique de France}, volume = {140}, year = {2015}, pages = {81 - 98}, abstract = {

Paper in French

Le but de cette \étude est d\’\évaluer la faune ectoparasite des oiseaux synanthro-pes et sauvages de cinq r\égions du nord de\  l\’Alg\érie. Les collectes comprennent 12 esp\è-ces d\’oiseaux : Go\éland leucoph\ée (Larus michahellis), Chardonneret (Carduelis car-duelis), Merle noir (Turdus merula), Pigeon biset (Columba livia), Rossignol philom\èle(Luscinia megarhynchos), Perdrix choukar\  (Alectoris chukar), Gobemouche gris(Muscicapa striata), M\ésange bleue (Cyanistes caeruleus), Pigeon ramier\  (Columbapalumbus), Rousserolle effarvatte (Acrocephalus scirpaceus), Poule-d\’eau (Gallinulachloropus) et Fuligule nyroca\  (Aythya nyroca). Les pourcentages des diff\érents ectopa-rasites collect\és sont les suivants : acariens m\ésostigmates (71 \%), Ixodida (23 \%),Mallophaga (3 \%), Hemiptera Cimicidae (2 \%) et Siphonaptera (1 \%). Les identifica-tions morphologiques,\  confirm\ées dans certains cas par une identification mol\éculairedu g\ène mitochondrial ARNr 16S obtenu par r\éaction de\  polym\érase en cha\îne (PCR),ont mis en \évidence 8 esp\èces : Carios capensis(Argasidae), Hyalomma marginatum\  marginatum(Ixodidae), Oeciacus hirundinis(Cimicidae), Menacanthus stramineus(Mallophaga, Monoponidae), Columbicola columbae(Mallophaga, Philoptridae),Dermanyssus gallinaeet Dermanyssussp. (Dermanyssidae) et Dasypsyllus\  gallinulae(Siphonaptera, Ceratophyllidae). L\’intensit\é et l\’abondance de ces ectoparasites ainsique leur r\ôle vecteur connu sont discut\és et nous avons cr\é\é un indice permettant demesurer le risque d\’exposition des populations humaines adjacentes.

Mots-cl\és: ectoparasites ; nids ; oiseaux sauvages, synanthropes, Alg\érie.

English title: Contribution to the knowledge of bird ectoparasites in Algeria

Abstract: The aim of this study is to evaluate the ectoparasitic fauna from synanthropicand wild birds from five regions of North Algeria. Collections were made from 12 birdspecies: Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis), Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis),Blackbird (Turdus merula), Rock Pigeon (Columba livia), Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos), Chukar Partridge (Alectoris chukar), Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata),Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus), Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus), Reed Warbler(Acrocephalus scirpaceus), Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) and Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca). The percentages of ectoparasites collected are: mesostigmaticAcarina 71\%, Ixodida 23\%, Mallophaga 3\%, Hemiptera Cimicidae 2\% andSiphonaptera 1\%. The morphological identifications, confirmed in part by molecularidentification using the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene obtained by polymerase chainreaction (PCR), showed 8 species: Carios capensis (Ixodida, Argasidae), Hyalommamarginatum marginatum (Ixodida, Ixodidae), Oeciacus hirundinis (Hemiptera,Cimicidae), Menacanthus stramineus (Mallophaga, Monoponidae), Columbicola columbae (Mallophaga, Philoptridae), Dermanyssus gallinaeand Dermanyssussp (Mesostimata, Dermanyssidae) and Dasypsyllus gallinulae (Siphonaptera,Ceratophyllidae). Prevalence, intensity and abundance of these ectoparasites, as well astheir potential role as vectors, are discussed and an index is proposed to measure the riskof exposure for adjacent human population

}, keywords = {Algeri, ectoparasites, nest, wild and synanthropic birds}, url = {https://societe-zoologique.fr/sites/default/files/revue/2016-10/Z140-2-BazizNeffah.pdf}, author = {Fadhila Baziz-Neffah and BITAM, I. and Tahar Kernif and Assia Beneldjouzi and BOUTELLIS, A. and Jean-michel Berenger and Safia Zenia and Salaheddine Doumandji} } @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 {94652, title = {Molecular evidence of Rickettsia slovaca in spleen of wild boars in northeastern Algeria}, journal = {New Microbes and New Infections}, volume = {24}, year = {2018}, month = {July 2018}, pages = {17 - 20}, abstract = {

Using molecular assays, Rickettsia slovaca, the agent of a spotted fever group rickettsiosis resulting in scalp eschar and neck lymphadenopathy after tick bite, was assessed in 92 spleens recovered from 117 wild boars hunted in the far northeast of Algeria. Rickettsia slovaca was detected in 5.4\% of tested wild boar spleens. The presence of R. slovaca DNA in boar spleens questions the relationship that may exist between this bacterium and Sus scrofa algira, and its role in human infections.

}, keywords = {Algeria, spleen, Wild boar}, issn = {20522975}, doi = {10.1016/j.nmni.2018.03.008}, url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S2052297518300283}, author = {Faycal Zeroual and Hamza Leulmi and BITAM, I. and Ahmed Benakhla} } @article {94622, title = {Detection of bacterial pathogens in clade E head lice collected from Niger{\textquoteright}s refugees in Algeria}, journal = {Parasites \& Vectors}, volume = {11}, year = {2018}, month = {Jun 2018}, pages = {11 pp}, abstract = {

Background: Head lice, Pediculus humanus capitis, are obligate blood-sucking parasites. Phylogenetically, they occur in five divergent mitochondrial clades (A, D, B, C and E), each having a particular geographical distribution. Recent studies have revealed that head lice, as is the case of body lice, can act as a vector for louse-borne diseases. Here, we aimed to study the genetic diversity of head lice collected from Niger\’s refugees (migrant population) arriving in Algeria, northern Africa, and to look for louse-borne pathogens. Comparative head lice samples collected from indigenous population of schoolchildren (non-immigrant) were also analyzed to frame the study.
Results: In this study, 37 head lice samples were collected from 31 Nigerien refugees, as well as 45 head lice from 27 schoolchildren. The collection was established in three localities of eastern Algiers, north Algeria. Quantitative real-time PCR screening of pathogens bacteria and the genetic characterisation of the head lice satut were performed. Through amplification and sequencing of the cytb gene, results showed that all head lice of Nigerien refugees 37/82 (45.12\%) belonged to clade E with the presence of four new haplotypes, while, of the 45 head lice of schoolchildren, 34/82 lice (41.46\%) belonged to clade A and 11/82 (13.41\%) belonged to clade B. Our study is the first to report the existence of clade E haplogroup in Nigerien head lice. DNA of Coxiella burnetii was detected in 3/37 (8.10\%) of the head lice collected from 3 of the 31 (9.67\%) migrant population. We also revealed the presence of Acinetobacter DNA in 20/37 (54.05\%) of head lice collected from 25/31 (80.64\%) of the Nigerien refugees, and in 25/45 (55.55\%) head lice collected from 15/27 (55.55\%) schoolchildren. All positive Nigerien-head lice for Acinetobacter spp. were identified as A. baumannii, while positive schoolchildren-head lice were identified as A. johnsonii 15/25 (60\%), A. variabilis 8/25 (32\%) and A. baumannii 2/25 (8\%).
Conclusions: Based on these findings from head lice collected on migrant and non-migrant population, our results show, for the first time, that head lice from Niger belong to haplogroup E, and confirm that the clade E had a west African distribution. We also detected, for the first time, the presence of C. burnetii and A. baumannii in these Nigerien head lice. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to determine whether the head lice can transmit these pathogenic bacteria from one person to another.

}, keywords = {Acinetobacter spp., Algeria, Coxiella burnetii, head lice, Migrant population, Niger{\textquoteright}s refugees, Non-migrant population, Scholchildren}, doi = {10.1186/s13071-018-2930-5}, url = {https://parasitesandvectors.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13071-018-2930-5}, author = {Meriem Louni and Nadia Amanzougaghene and MANA, N. and Florence Fenollar and Didier Raoult and BITAM, I. and Oleg Mediannikov} } @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 {68865, title = {Evidence that clade A and clade B head lice live in sympatry and recombine in Algeria}, journal = {Medical and Veterinary Entomology}, volume = {29}, year = {2015}, month = {Jan-03-2015}, pages = {94 - 98}, abstract = {

Pediculus humanus L. (Psocodea: Pediculidae) can be characterized into three deeply divergent lineages (clades) based on mitochondrial DNA. Clade A consists of both head lice and clothing lice and is distributed worldwide. Clade B consists of head lice only and is mainly found in North and Central America, and in western Europe and Australia. Clade C, which consists only of head lice, is found in Ethiopia, Nepal and Senegal. Twenty-six head lice collected from pupils at different elementary schools in two localities in Algiers (Algeria) were analysed using molecular methods for genotyping lice (cytochrome b and the multi-spacer typing (MST) method. For the first time, we found clade B head lice in Africa living in sympatry with clade A head lice. The phylogenetic analysis of the concatenated sequences of these populations of head lice showed that clade A and clade B head lice had recombined, suggesting that interbreeding occurs when lice live in sympatry.

}, keywords = {clade A, clade B, Genotype, Pediculus humanus capitis, recombination, sympatry.}, doi = {10.1111/mve.2015.29.issue-110.1111/mve.12058}, url = {http://doi.wiley.com/10.1111/mve.2015.29.issue-1http://doi.wiley.com/10.1111/mve.12058}, author = {BOUTELLIS, A. and BITAM, I. and FEKIR, K. and MANA, N. and Didier Raoult} }