02612nas a2200181 4500008004100000245012800041210006900169260001200238300001000250490000600260520197800266100002002244700002602264700002102290700002202311700001902333856007802352 2012 eng d00aMolecular Detection of Acinetobacter Species in Lice and Keds of Domestic Animals in Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia0 aMolecular Detection of iAcinetobacteri Species in Lice and Keds  c12-2012 a10 pp0 v73 a

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.

1 aKumsa, Bersissa1 aSocolovschi, Cristina1 aParola, Phillipe1 aRolain, Jean-Marc1 aRaoult, Didier uhttps://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.005237702639nas a2200193 4500008004100000245010800041210006900149260001600218300001100234490000600245520202500251100001702276700001802293700001902311700002202330700002202352700001902374856005202393 2013 eng d00aDistinguishing Body Lice from Head Lice by Multiplex Real-Time PCR Analysis of the Phum_PHUM540560 Gene0 aDistinguishing Body Lice from Head Lice by Multiplex RealTime PC cApr-02-2015 ae580880 v83 a

Abstract
Background: Body louse or head louse? Once removed from their environment, body and head lice are indistinguishable. Neither the morphological criteria used since the mid-18th century nor the various genetic studies conducted since the advent of molecular biology tools have allowed body lice and head lice to be differentiated. In this work, using a portion of the Phum_PHUM540560 gene from the body louse, we aimed to develop a multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay to differentiate between body and head lice in a single reaction.


Materials and Methods: A total of 142 human lice were collected from mono-infested hosts from 13 countries on five continents. We first identified the louse clade using a cytochrome b (CYTB) PCR sequence alignment. We then aligned a fragment of the Phum_PHUM540560 gene amplified from head and body lice to design-specific TaqManß FAM- and VIC- labeled probes.


Results: All the analyzed lice were Clade A lice. A total of 22 polymorphisms between the body and head lice were characterized. The multiplex real-time PCR analysis enabled the body and head lice to be distinguished in two hours. This method is simple, with 100% specificity and sensitivity.


Conclusions: We confirmed that the Phum_PHUM540560 gene is a useful genetic marker for the study of lice.

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.0278004 or https://phthiraptera.myspecies.info/node/96447

 

1 aDrali, Rezak1 aBOUTELLIS, A.1 aRaoult, Didier1 aRolain, Jean-Marc1 aBrouqui, Philippe1 aAziz, Ramy, K. uhttp://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.005808801742nas a2200205 4500008004100000245006400041210006300105260000900168300001400177490000800191520109500199100001901294700002001313700003401333700002501367700002201392700001901414700002301433856008001456 2008 eng d00aMolecular Identification of Lice from Pre-Columbian Mummies0 aMolecular Identification of Lice from PreColumbian Mummies c2008 a535 - 5430 v1973 a

Background. Three distinctly different lineages of head and body lice are known to parasitize humans. One lineage includes head and body lice and is currently worldwide in distribution (type A). The other 2 (types B and C) include only head lice and are geographically restricted. It was hypothesized that head louse phylotypes were exchanged only recently, after European exploration and colonization (after Columbus).Methods. To determine which louse type or types were found in the Americas before European colonization, we used polymerase chain reaction in 2 laboratories to amplify DNA from 2 genes (Cytb and Cox1) belonging to 1000-year-old lice collected from Peruvian mummies. Results. Only the worldwide type (type A) was found. Therefore, this phylotype was worldwide before European colonization, as type A lice were common in Europe, Africa, and Asia. Conclusions. The findings of this study show that several phylotypes of head lice have coexisted for centuries in humans and support the claim that type A lice were present in the Americas before the time of Columbus.

1 aRaoult, Didier1 aReed, David, L.1 aDittmar de la Cruz, Katharina1 aKirchman, Jeremy, J.1 aRolain, Jean-Marc1 aGuillen, Sonia1 aLight, Jessica, E. uhttps://phthiraptera.myspecies.info/sites/phthiraptera.info/files/47390.pdf02615nas a2200241 4500008004100000245008500041210006900126260000900195300001200204490000700216520185800223100002202081700001402103700001902117700001602136700001602152700002202168700001702190700001702207700001502224700001902239856011502258 2005 eng d00aEctoparasitism and vector-borne diseases in 930 homeless people from Marseilles.0 aEctoparasitism and vectorborne diseases in 930 homeless people f c2005 a61 - 680 v843 a

Homeless people are particularly exposed to ectoparasites, but their exposure to arthropod-borne diseases has not been evaluated systematically. A medical team of 27 persons (7 nurses, 6 infectious disease residents or fellows, 2 dermatologists, and 12 infectious disease specialists) visited the 2 shelters in Marseilles, France, for 4 consecutive years. Homeless volunteers were interviewed, examined, and received care; and blood was sampled for cell counts and detection of bacteremia, antibodies to louse-borne (Rickettsia prowazekii, Bartonella quintana, and Borrelia recurrentis), flea-borne (R. typhi, R. felis), mite-borne (R. akari), and tick-borne (R. conorii) bacterial agents. We selected sex- and age-adjusted controls among healthy blood donors.

Over 4 years, 930 homeless people were enrolled. Lice were found in 22% and were associated with hypereosinophilia (odds ratio, 5.7; 95% confidence intervals, 1.46-22.15). Twenty-seven patients (3%) with scabies were treated with ivermectin. Bartonella quintana was isolated from blood culture in 50 patients (5.3%), 36 of whom were treated effectively. The number of bacteremic patient increased from 3.4% to 8.4% (p = 0.02) over the 4 years of the study. We detected a higher seroprevalence to Borrelia recurrentis, R. conorii, and R. prowazekii antibodies in the homeless. Our study shows a high prevalence of louse-borne infections in the homeless and a high degree of exposure to tick-borne diseases and scabies. Despite effective treatment for Bartonella quintana bacteremia and the efforts made to delouse this population, Bartonella quintana remains endemic, and we found hallmarks of epidemic typhus and relapsing fever. The uncontrolled louse infestation of this population should alert the community to the possibility of severe re-emerging louse-borne infections.

1 aBrouqui, Philippe1 aStein, A.1 aDupont, H., T.1 aGallian, P.1 aBadiaga, S.1 aRolain, Jean-Marc1 aMege, J., L.1 aLa Scola, B.1 aBerbis, P.1 aRaoult, Didier uhttps://journals.lww.com/md-journal/fulltext/2005/01000/Ectoparasitism_and_Vector_Borne_Diseases_in_930.6.aspx02155nas a2200349 4500008004100000020001400041245009800055210006900153260002400222300001400246490000800260520105900268653002101327653001201348653006801360653001701428653002201445653000801467653001301475653001101488653001301499653002201512653002501534653001501559653001701574100002201591700001501613700001401628700001501642700001901657856012901676 2003 eng d a0077-892300aExperimental infection of human erythrocytes from alcoholic patients with Bartonella quintana0 aExperimental infection of human erythrocytes from alcoholic pati aUnited Statesc2003 a605 - 6110 v9903 a

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.

10aAlcoholism/blood10aanimals10aBartonella quintana/genetics/growth & development/pathogenicity10aBlood Donors10aComparative Study10adna10ahomeless10ahumans10aKinetics10aLice/microbiology10aMicroscopy, Confocal10apolymerase10atrench fever1 aRolain, Jean-Marc1 aArnoux, D.1 aParzy, D.1 aSampol, J.1 aRaoult, Didier uhttps://phthiraptera.myspecies.info/content/experimental-infection-human-erythrocytes-alcoholic-patients-bartonella-quintana