02584nas a2200289 4500008004100000245013500041210006900176260001200245300000900257490000600266520163100272653006601903100002201969700001601991700002002007700001802027700001802045700001602063700002202079700001602101700002202117700001902139700002202158700002202180700002202202856007002224 2019 eng d00aThe Presence of Acinetobacter baumannii DNA on the Skin of Homeless People and Its Relationship With Body Lice Infestation.0 aPresence of iAcinetobacter baumanniii DNA on the Skin of Homeles c04-2019 a16pp0 v93 a

The presence of Acinetobacter baumannii was demonstrated in body lice, however, little is known about the mechanism of natural lice infection. In 2013 and 2014, cross-sectional one-day studies were therefore performed within two Marseille homeless shelters to assess the presence of A. baumannii DNA on human skin, blood and in body lice collected from the same homeless individuals. All 332 participants completed questionnaires, were examined for dermatologic signs, and provided four skin samples (hair, neck, armpits, and pelvic belt), blood samples and body lice (if any). We developed a new real-time PCR tool targeting the ompA/motB gene for the detection of A. baumannii for all collected samples. Blood culture was also performed. Body lice were found in 24/325 (7.4%) of subjects. We showed a prevalence of A. baumannii DNA skin-carriage in 33/305 (10.8%) of subjects. No difference was found in A. baumannii DNA prevalence according to body sites. A strong association between body lice infestation (OR = 3.07, p = 0.029) and A. baumannii DNA skin-carriage was noted. In lice, A. baumannii DNA was detected in 59/219 arthropods (26.9%). All blood cultures and real-time PCR on blood samples were negative for A. baumannii. Lice probably get infected with A. baumannii while biting through the colonized skin and likely transmit the bacteria in their feces. We found no evidence that lice facilitate the invasion of A. baumannii into the blood stream. Further investigations are needed to compare phenotypic and genotypic features of A. baumannii isolates from human skin and lice from the same individuals.

10aAcinetobacter baumannii; body lice; homeless; ompA/motB; skin1 aLy, Tran, Duc Anh1 aKerbaj, Jad1 aEdouard, Sophie1 aHoang, Van, T1 aLouni, Meriem1 aDao, Thi, L1 aBenkouiten, Samir1 aBadiaga, S.1 aTissot-Dupont, H.1 aRaoult, Didier1 aBrouqui, Philippe1 aMediannikov, Oleg1 aGautret, Philippe uhttps://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fcimb.2019.00086/full03052nas a2200181 4500008004100000245008000041210006900121260001200190300001100202490000600213520247500219100002102694700001802715700001802733700002202751700001902773856007802792 2012 eng d00aEvidence That Head and Body Lice on Homeless Persons Have the Same Genotype0 aEvidence That Head and Body Lice on Homeless Persons Have the Sa c09-2014 ae459030 v73 a

Human head lice and body lice are morphologically and biologically similar but have distinct ecologies. They were shown to have almost the same basic genetic content (one gene is absent in head lice), but differentially express certain genes, presumably responsible for the vector competence. They are now believed to be ecotypes of the same species (Pediculus humanus) and based on mitochondrial studies, body lice have been included with head lice in one of three clades of human head lice (Clade A). Here, we tested whether head and body lice collected from the same host belong to the same population by examining highly polymorphic intergenic spacers. This study was performed on lice collected from five homeless persons living in the same shelter in which Clade A lice are prevalent. Lice were individually genotyped at four spacer loci. The genetic identity and diversity of lice from head and body populations were compared for each homeless person. Population genetic structure was tested between lice from the two body regions and between the lice from different host individuals.

We found two pairs of head and body lice on the same homeless person with identical multi locus genotypes. No difference in genetic diversity was found between head and body louse populations and no evidence of significant structure between the louse populations was found, even after controlling for a possible effect of the host individual. More surprisingly, no structure was obvious between lice of different homeless persons.

We believe that the head and body lice collected from our five subjects belong to the same population and are shared between people living in the same shelter. These findings confirm that head and body lice are two ecotypes of the same species and show the importance of implementing measures to prevent lice transmission between homeless people in shelters.

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/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0278000 or https://phthiraptera.myspecies.info/node/96446

1 aVeracx, Aurélie1 aRivet, Romain1 aMcCoy, K., D.1 aBrouqui, Philippe1 aRaoult, Didier uhttps://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0045903