01503nas a2200253 4500008004100000022001400041245007300055210006900128260001600197490000800213520075600221653001100977653001500988653001301003653000901016653001501025653001301040100001801053700003901071700002001110700002201130700002101152856007601173 2023 eng d a0001-706X00aLice and lice-borne diseases in humans in Africa: A narrative review0 aLice and liceborne diseases in humans in Africa A narrative revi cJan-01-20230 v2373 a

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.

10aAfrica10aBartonella10aBorrelia10alice10aRickettsia10aYersinia1 aOuarti, Basma1 aMbogning-Fonkou, Descartes, Maxime1 aHouhamdi, Linda1 aMediannikov, Oleg1 aParola, Phillipe uhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0001706X2200401601406nas a2200217 4500008004100000022002500041245005900066210005400125260001600179300001200195490000700207520076600214100001800980700002100998700002501019700002001044700002201064700002601086700001901112856005701131 2012 eng d a1530-3667, 1557-775900aBartonella quintana in Head Lice from Sénégal0 aiBartonella quintanai in Head Lice from Sénégal cJul-01-2012 a564-5670 v123 a

Head and body lice are strict, obligate human ectoparasites with three mitochondrial clades (A, B, and C). Body lice have been implicated as vectors of human diseases, and as the principal vectors of epidemic typhus, relapsing fever, and Bartonella quintata-associated diseases (trench fever, bacillary angiomatosis, endocarditis, chronic bacteremia, and chronic lymphadenopathy). Using molecular methods (real-time and traditional PCR), we assessed the presence of Bartonella quintana DNA in black head lice collected from three locations in Sénégal. DNA from B. quintana was identified in 19 lice (6.93%) collected from 7 patients (7%) in Dakar. B. quintana-positive lice collected from three subjects were identified as clades C and A.

1 aBOUTELLIS, A.1 aVeracx, Aurélie1 aAngelakis, Emmanouil1 aDiatta, Georges1 aMediannikov, Oleg1 aTrape, Jean-François1 aRaoult, Didier uhttps://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/vbz.2011.084503339nas a2200277 4500008004100000022001400041245011700055210006900172260001600241300000900257490000700266520243000273653003502703653001702738653002302755653001502778653002402793653002602817100002002843700001802863700002102881700002802902700002302930700002202953856008602975 2022 eng d a1756-330500aPhylogenetic relationship between the endosymbiont “Candidatus Riesia pediculicola” and its human louse host0 aPhylogenetic relationship between the endosymbiont Candidatus Ri cMar-05-2022 a9 pp0 v153 a

Background The human louse (Pediculus humanus) is a haematophagous ectoparasite that is intimately related to its host. It has been of great public health concern throughout human history. This louse has been classified into six divergent mitochondrial clades (A, D, B, F, C and E). As with all haematophagous lice, P. humanus directly depends on the presence of a bacterial symbiont, known as “Candidatus Riesia pediculicola”, to complement their unbalanced diet. In this study, we evaluated the codivergence of human lice around the world and their endosymbiotic bacteria. Using molecular approaches, we targeted lice mitochondrial genes from the six diverged clades and Candidatus Riesia pediculicola housekeeping genes.

Methods The mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (cytb) of lice was selected for molecular analysis, with the aim to identify louse clade. In parallel, we developed four PCR primer pairs targeting three housekeeping genes of Candidatus Riesia pediculicola: ftsZ, groEL and two regions of the rpoB gene (rpoB-1 and rpoB-2).

Results The endosymbiont phylogeny perfectly mirrored the host insect phylogeny using the ftsZ and rpoB-2 genes, in addition to showing a significant co-phylogenetic congruence, suggesting a strict vertical transmission and a host–symbiont co-speciation following the evolutionary course of the human louse.

Conclusion Our results unequivocally indicate that louse endosymbionts have experienced a similar co-evolutionary history and that the human louse clade can be determined by their endosymbiotic bacteria. Graphical Abstract

10aCandidatus Riesia pediculicola10aco-evolution10aHousekeeping genes10ahuman lice10aMitochondrial genes10aPhylogenetic analysis1 aHammoud, Alissa1 aLouni, Meriem1 aMisse, Dorothée1 aCortaredona, Sébastien1 aFenollar, Florence1 aMediannikov, Oleg uhttps://parasitesandvectors.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13071-022-05203-z03102nas a2200325 4500008004100000022002500041245009600066210006900162260001500231300001400246490000700260520213600267653002002403653002302423653001102446653001402457653002302471100002002494700001802514700002302532700002002555700001802575700002102593700002002614700001902634700002302653700001902676700002202695856005902717 2023 eng d a1058-4838, 1537-659100aBartonella quintana Transmitted by Head Lice: An Outbreak of Trench Fever in Senegal0 aiBartonella quintanai Transmitted by Head Lice An Outbreak of Tr cApril 2023 a1382-13900 v763 a

Background Louse-borne trench fever caused by Bartonella quintana is a neglected public health concern, known to be transmitted from body louse feces via scratching. No viable B. quintana have ever been isolated from head lice before; therefore, their role as a vector is still poorly understood.

Methods In Senegal, the implementation of a permanent local surveillance system in a point-of-care laboratory (POC) allows the monitoring of emerging diseases. Here we used culture as well as molecular and genomic approaches to document an outbreak of trench fever associated with head lice in the village of Ndiop. Head lice and blood samples were collected from febrile patients between November 2010 and April 2015. Genomes of 2 isolated strains of B. quintana were sequenced and analyzed.

Results A total of 2289 blood samples were collected in the 2010–2015 period. From 2010–2013, B. quintana DNA was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 0.25% (4/1580). In 2014, 228 blood samples were collected, along with 161 head lice from 5 individuals. B. quintana DNA was detected in 4.4% (10/228) of blood samples, and in lice specimens collected from febrile patients (61.7%, 50/81) and non-febrile patients (61.4%, 43/70). Two B. quintana strains were isolated from blood and head lice from 2 different patients. Genomic sequence analysis showed 99.98% overall similarity between both strains.

Conclusions The presence of live B. quintana in head lice, and the genetic identity of strains from patients’ blood and head lice during a localized outbreak in Senegal, supports the evidence of head lice vectorial capacity.

10a; blood samples10aBartonella quintan10agenome10ahead lice10amolecular analysis1 aHammoud, Alissa1 aLouni, Meriem1 aFenollar, Florence1 aBassene, Hubert1 aSambou, Masse1 aDuclos, Nathalie1 aDiatta, Georges1 aSokhna, Cheikh1 aLevasseur, Anthony1 aRaoult, Didier1 aMediannikov, Oleg uhttps://academic.oup.com/cid/article/76/8/1382/696080602097nas a2200265 4500008004100000022001400041245014300055210006900198260001600267300001000283490000700293520121000300653003301510653002201543653001801565653002101583100002601604700001701630700002701647700002101674700002301695700001901718700002201737856007201759 2022 eng d a2235-298800aHigh Genetic Diversity and Rickettsia felis in Pediculus humanus Lice Infesting Mbuti (pygmy people), -Democratic Republic of Congo0 aHigh Genetic Diversity and Rickettsia felis in iPediculus humanu cMar-02-2022 a10 pp0 v123 a

Pediculus humanus is an obligate bloodsucking parasite of humans that has two ecotypes, the head louse and the body louse, which share an intimate history of coevolution with their human host. In the present work, we obtained and analysed head and body lice collected from Mbuti pygmies living in the Orientale province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Cytochrome b DNA analysis was performed in order to type the six known lice clades (A, D, B, F, C and E). The results revealed the presence of two mitochondrial clades. Clade D was the most frequent (61.7% of 47), followed by clade A (38.3% of 47). Sixteen haplotypes were found in 47 samples, of which thirteen were novel haplotypes, indicating an unusually high genetic diversity that closely mirrors the diversity of their hosts. Moreover, we report for the first time the presence of the DNA of R. felis in three (6.4% of 47) head and body lice belonging to both clades A and D. Additional studies are needed to clarify whether the Pediculus lice can indeed transmit this emerging zoonotic bacterium to their human hosts.

10aDemocratic Republic of Congo10aGenetic diversity10aMbuti pygmies10aRickettsia felis1 aAmanzougaghene, Nadia1 aDrali, Rezak1 aShako, Jean-Christophe1 aDavoust, Bernard1 aFenollar, Florence1 aRaoult, Didier1 aMediannikov, Oleg uhttps://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2022.834388/full01932nas a2200193 4500008004100000022001400041245012600055210006900181260001600250300000900266490000700275520128800282100002601570700002301596700002301619700001901642700002201661856005501683 2022 eng d a2045-232200aPutative native South Amerindian origin of head lice clade F: evidence from head lice nits infesting human shrunken heads0 aPutative native South Amerindian origin of head lice clade F evi cMar-12-2022 a7 pp0 v123 a

The head louse, Pediculus humanus capitis, is a strictly obligate human ectoparasite with a long history of association with humans. Here, 17 ancient head lice nits were recovered from six shrunken human heads (known as tsantsas) of individuals from the Shuar/Jivaro tribe, a native Amazonian population from Ecuador, South America. Cytochrome b DNA analysis revealed the presence of three known mitochondrial clades. Clade A was the most frequent (52.94%), followed by F (35.29%), and B (11.76%). Eleven haplotypes were found in 17 samples, and nine of the haplotypes were novel, indicating an unusually high genetic diversity. In conclusion, we confirmed the presence of clades A, B and F in South Amerindian population. Moreover, the description of clade F, together with its previous reports in another Amerindian population from French Guiana, strongly support the hypothesis of a native South American origin for this clade, and probably derived from clade B which was carried to America by an ancestral Eurasian Beringian population. Further support to our conclusion and new insights might come from the analysis of a larger collection of modern and ancient native American lice.

1 aAmanzougaghene, Nadia1 aCharlier, Philippe1 aFenollar, Florence1 aRaoult, Didier1 aMediannikov, Oleg uhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-08176-201630nas a2200265 4500008004100000022001400041245010200055210006900157260001600226490000700242520083100249653002001080653001101100653002201111653001101133653001701144653001001161100001801171700002201189700001701211700002001228700001901248700002101267856007601288 2021 eng d a0147-957100aMolecular detection of microorganisms in lice collected from farm animals in Northeastern Algeria0 aMolecular detection of microorganisms in lice collected from far cFeb-01-20210 v743 a

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.

10aAnaplasmataceae10acattle10aCoxiella burnetii10aGoats.10aPhthiraptera10asheep1 aOuarti, Basma1 aMediannikov, Oleg1 aRighi, Souad1 aBenakhla, Ahmed1 aRaoult, Didier1 aParola, Phillipe uhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S014795712030158202609nas a2200313 4500008004100000022001400041245010300055210006900158260001600227300001000243490000600253520167600259653003101935653002301966653001101989653001702000653001402017653002002031100002002051700001802071700002802089700002802117700002202145700001902167700002302186700002102209700002202230856004302252 2021 eng d a2076-260700aMolecular Characterization and Genetic Diversity of Haplogroup E Human Lice in Guinea, West Africa0 aMolecular Characterization and Genetic Diversity of Haplogroup E cJan-27-2021 a16 pp0 v93 a

Pediculus humanus capitis, the head louse, is an obligate blood-sucking ectoparasite that occurs in six divergent mitochondrial clades (A, D, B, F, C and E). Several studies reported the presence of different pathogenic agents in head lice specimens collected worldwide. These findings suggest that head louse could be a dangerous vector and a serious public health problem. Herein, we aimed to study the mitochondrial genetic diversity, the PHUM540560 gene polymorphisms profile of head lice collected in Guinea, as well as to screen for their associated pathogens. In 2018, a total of 155 head lice were collected from 49 individuals at the Medicals Centers of rural (Maférinyah village) and urban (Kindia city) areas, in Guinea. Specimens were subjected to a genetic analysis and pathogens screening using molecular tools. Results showed that all head lice belonged to eight haplotypes in the E haplogroup, with six newly identified for the first time. The study of the PHUM540560 gene polymorphisms of our clade E-head lice revealed that 82.5% exhibited the same polymorphism profile as the previously reported clade A-body lice. Screening for targeted pathogens revealed the presence of Acinetobacter spp., while sequencing highlighted the presence of several species, including Acinetobacter baumannii, Acinetobacter nosocomialis, Acinetobacter variabilis, Acinetobacter towneri and for the first time Acinetobacter haemolyticus. Our study is the first to report the existence of the Guinean haplogroup E, the PHUM540560 gene polymorphism profile as well as the presence of Acinetobacter species in head lice collected from Guinea.

10aAcinetobacter haemolyticus10aAcinetobacter spp.10aguinea10ahaplogroup E10ahead lice10aPHUM540560 gene1 aHammoud, Alissa1 aLouni, Meriem1 aBaldé, Mamadou, Cellou1 aBeavogui, Abdoul, Habib1 aGautret, Philippe1 aRaoult, Didier1 aFenollar, Florence1 aMisse, Dorothée1 aMediannikov, Oleg uhttps://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/9/2/25701963nas a2200265 4500008004100000022002500041245011400066210006900180260001600249300001200265490000700277520115500284653001701439653000801456653001301464653001401477100002201491700002601513700001801539700001601557700001801573700002201591700002201613856006201635 2020 eng d a1530-3667, 1557-775900aMolecular Evidence of Bacteria in Clothes Lice Collected from Homeless People Living in Shelters in Marseille0 aMolecular Evidence of Bacteria in Clothes Lice Collected from Ho cNov-01-2020 a872-8740 v203 a

We sought to evidence the presence of emerging bacterial pathogens in clothes lice collected from sheltered homeless individuals from Marseille, France. During the 2013-2018 period, a total of 507 lice were collected from 37 individuals and were processed for molecular analysis. We reported a low prevalence of Bartonella quintana DNA carriage (1.2%). No louse tested positive for Rickettsia sp., Rickettsia prowazekii, Borrelia sp., Anaplasma sp., Yersinia Pestis, or Coxiella burnetii. A comparison with studies conducted before 2013 showed a 17.5-fold reduction in the rate of B. quintana DNA positivity. By contrast, a high prevalence of Acinetobacter species DNA carriage (40.8%), mostly A. baumannii (32.9%), was observed, tending to increase over time. In addition, we detected Acinetobacter ursingii DNA in clothes lice for the first time. Genotypic characterization and antimicrobial susceptibility testing of A. baumannii isolates from clothes lice are needed to assess whether these A. baumannii strains present in lice are similar to those responsible for human infections and harbor mechanisms of resistance against antibiotics

10aclothes lice10adna10ahomeless10apathogens1 aLy, Tran, Duc Anh1 aAmanzougaghene, Nadia1 aHoang, Van, T1 aDao, Thi, L1 aLouni, Meriem1 aMediannikov, Oleg1 aGautret, Philippe uhttps://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/vbz.2019.260303913nas a2200277 4500008004100000022001400041245010500055210006900160260001300229300000900242490000700251520299500258653002303253653001803276653001003294653001403304100003703318700002203355700002603377700003703403700003503440700001903475700003203494700002303526856008603549 2020 eng d a1756-330500aMolecular identification of head lice collected in Franceville (Gabon) and their associated bacteria0 aMolecular identification of head lice collected in Franceville G cAug-2020 a8 pp0 v133 a

Background Pediculus humanus, which includes two ecotypes (body and head lice), is an obligate bloodsucking parasite that co-evolved with their human hosts over thousands of years, thus providing a valuable source of information to reconstruct the human migration. Pediculosis due to head lice occurred each year throughout the world and several pathogenic bacteria, which are usually associated with body lice, are increasingly detected in them. In Gabon, where this pediculosis is still widespread, there is a lack of data on genetic diversity of head lice and their associated bacteria.

Methods This study aimed to investigate the phylogeny of head lice collected in Gabon and their associated bacteria, using molecular tools. Between 26 March and 11 April 2018, 691 head lice were collected from 86 women in Franceville. We studied the genetic diversity of these lice based on the cytochrome b gene, then we screened them for DNA of Bartonella quintana, Borrelia spp., Acinetobacter spp., Yersinia pestis, Rickettsia spp., R. prowazekii, Anaplasma spp. and C. burnetii, using real time or standard PCR and sequencing.

Results Overall 74.6% of studied lice belonged to Clade A, 25.3% to Clade C and 0.1% to Clade E. The phylogenetic analysis of 344 head lice yielded 45 variable positions defining 13 different haplotypes from which 8 were novel. Bacterial screening revealed the presence of Borrelia spp. DNA in 3 (0.4%) of 691 head lice belonging to Clade A and infesting one individual. This Borrelia is close to B. theileri (GenBank: MN621894). Acinetobacter spp. DNA has been detected in 39 (25%) of the 156 screened lice; of these 13 (8.3%) corresponded to A. baumannii. Acinetobacter nosocomialis (n = 2) and A. pittii (n = 1) were also recorded.

Conclusions To of our knowledge, this study is the first to investigate the genetic diversity of head lice from Gabon. It appears that Clade C is the second most important clade in Gabon, after Clade A which is known to have a global distribution. The detection of Borrelia spp. DNA in these lice highlight the potential circulation of these bacteria in Gabon.

10aAcinetobacter spp.10aBorrelia spp.10aGabon10ahead lice1 aBoumbanda-Koyo, Celia, Scherelle1 aMediannikov, Oleg1 aAmanzougaghene, Nadia1 aOyegue-Liabagui, Sandrine, Lydie1 aImboumi-Limoukou, Roméo, Karl1 aRaoult, Didier1 aLekana-Douki, Jean, Bernard1 aFenollar, Florence uhttps://parasitesandvectors.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13071-020-04293-x03204nas a2200289 4500008004100000022001400041245010400055210006900159260001300228300001000241490000700251520230800258653001802566653002402584653002202608653001102630653001902641653001502660100002602675700002202701700002202723700002202745700002102767700002302788700001702811856008602828 2020 eng d a1756-330500aMolecular investigation and genetic diversity of Pediculus and Pthirus lice in France0 aMolecular investigation and genetic diversity of iPediculusi and cApr-2020 a11 pp0 v133 a

Background Humans are parasitized by three types of lice: body, head and pubic lice. As their common names imply, each type colonizes a specific region of the body. The body louse is the only recognized disease vector. However, an increasing awareness of head lice as a vector has emerged recently whereas the status of pubic lice as a vector is not known since it has received little attention.

Methods Here, we assessed the occurrence of bacterial pathogens in 107 body lice, 33 head lice and 63 pubic lice from Marseille and Bobigny (France) using molecular methods.

Results Results show that all body lice samples belonged to the cytb Clade A whereas head lice samples belonged to Clades A and B. DNA of Bartonella quintana was detected in 7.5% of body lice samples and, for the first time to our knowledge, in 3.1% of pubic lice samples. Coxiella burnetii, which is not usually associated with transmission by louse, was detected in 3.7% of body lice samples and 3% of head lice samples. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of C. burnetii in Pediculus lice infesting humans in France. Acinetobacter DNA was detected in 21.5% of body lice samples, 6% of head lice samples and 9.5% of pubic lice samples. Five species were identified with A. baumannii being the most prevalent.

Conclusions Our study is the first to report the presence of B. quintana in pubic lice. This is also the first report of the presence of DNA of C. burnetii in body lice and head lice in France. Further efforts on the vectorial role of human lice are needed, most importantly the role of pubic lice as a disease vector should be further investigated.

10aAcinetobacter10abartonella quintana10aCoxiella burnetii10aFrance10aPediculus lice10apubic lice1 aAmanzougaghene, Nadia1 aMediannikov, Oleg1 aLy, Tran, Duc Anh1 aGautret, Philippe1 aDavoust, Bernard1 aFenollar, Florence1 aIzri, Arezki uhttps://parasitesandvectors.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13071-020-04036-y02584nas 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/full02947nas a2200277 4500008004100000245013100041210006900172260001200241300000900253490000700262520200500269653002802274653002302302653001202325653003302337653001402370100003702384700002602421700002102447700002002468700003202488700001902520700002202539700002302561856008502584 2019 eng d00aGenetic diversity of human head lice and molecular detection of associated bacterial pathogens in Democratic Republic of Congo0 aGenetic diversity of human head lice and molecular detection of  c06-2019 a9 pp0 v123 a

Background: Head louse, Pediculus humanus capitis, is an obligatory blood-sucking ectoparasite, distributed worldwide. Phylogenetically, it occurs in five divergent mitochondrial clades (A-E); each exhibiting a particular geographical distribution. Recent studies suggest that, as in the case of body louse, head louse could be a disease vector. We aimed to study the genetic diversity of head lice collected in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) and to screen for louse-borne pathogens in these lice.

Methods: A total of 181 head lice were collected from 27 individuals at the Monkole Hospital Center located in Kinshasa. All head lice were genotyped and screened for the presence of louse-borne bacteria using molecular methods. We searched for Bartonella quintana, Borrelia recurrentis, Rickettsia prowazekii, Anaplasma spp., Yersinia pestis, Coxiella burnetii and Acinetobacter spp.

Results: Among these head lice, 67.4% (122/181) belonged to clade A and 24.3% (44/181) belonged to clade D. Additionally, for the first time in this area, we found clade E in 8.3% (15/181) of tested lice, from two infested individuals. Dual infestation with clades A and D was observed for 44.4% individuals. Thirty-three of the 181 head lice were infected only by different bacterial species of the genus Acinetobacter. Overall, 16 out of 27 individuals were infested (59.3%). Six Acinetobacter species were detected including Acinetobacter baumannii (8.3%), Acinetobacter johnsonii (1.7%), Acinetobacter soli (1.7%), Acinetobacter pittii (1.7%), Acinetobacter guillouiae (1.1%), as well as a new potential species named "Candidatus Acinetobacter pediculi".

Conclusions: To our knowledge, this study reports for the first time, the presence of clade E head lice in DR Congo. This study is also the first to report the presence of Acinetobacter species DNAs in human head lice in DR Congo.

10aAcinetobacter baumannii10aAcinetobacter spp.10aclade E10aDemocratic Republic of Congo10ahead lice1 aBoumbanda-Koyo, Celia, Scherelle1 aAmanzougaghene, Nadia1 aDavoust, Bernard1 aTshilolo, Léon1 aLekana-Douki, Jean, Bernard1 aRaoult, Didier1 aMediannikov, Oleg1 aFenollar, Florence uhttps://parasitesandvectors.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13071-019-3540-602217nas a2200217 4500008004100000245007700041210006900118260001200187490000600199520156000205653001201765653001201777653001901789653001701808653001401825100002601839700002301865700001901888700002201907856007001929 2020 eng d00aWhere Are We With Human Lice? A Review of the Current State of Knowledge0 aWhere Are We With Human Lice A Review of the Current State of Kn c01-20210 v93 a

Pediculus humanus is an obligate bloodsucking ectoparasite of human that includes two ecotypes, head louse and body louse, which differ slightly in morphology and biology, but have distinct ecologies. Phylogenetically, they are classified on six mitochondrial clades (A, B, C, D, E, and F), head louse encompasses the full genetic diversity of clades, while body louse belongs to clades A and D. Recent studies suggested that not only body louse, but also head louse can transmit disease, which warrants greater attention as a serious public health problem. The recent sequencing of body louse genome confirmed that P. humanus has the smallest genome of any hemimetabolous insect reported to date, and also revealed numerous interesting characteristics in the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes. The transcriptome analyses showed that body and head lice were almost genetically identical. Indeed, the phenotypic flexibility associated with the emergence of body lice, is probably a result of regulatory changes, perhaps epigenetic in origin, triggered by environmental signals. Current lice control strategies have proven unsuccessful. For instance, ivermectin represents a relatively new and very promising pediculicide. However, ivermectin resistance in the field has begun to be reported. Therefore, novel opportunities for pest control strategies are needed. Our objective here is to review the current state of knowledge on the biology, epidemiology, phylogeny, disease-vector and control of this fascinating and very intimate human parasite.

10abiology10aControl10adisease-vector10aepidemiology10aPhylogeny1 aAmanzougaghene, Nadia1 aFenollar, Florence1 aRaoult, Didier1 aMediannikov, Oleg uhttps://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fcimb.2019.00474/full05630nas a2200277 4500008004100000022001300041245012300054210006900177260001200246300001000258490000700268520477800275653001305053653001205066653002205078653001905100100002605119700002305145700002105168700002005189700002105209700001405230700001905244700002205263856006705285 2019 eng d a1567134800aMitochondrial diversity and phylogeographic analysis of Pediculus humanus reveals a new Amazonian clade “F”0 aMitochondrial diversity and phylogeographic analysis of iPedicul c06-2019 a1 - 80 v703 a

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' 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.

10aAmazonia10aClade F10aGenetic diversity10aphylogeography1 aAmanzougaghene, Nadia1 aFenollar, Florence1 aDavoust, Bernard1 aDjossou, Félix1 aAshfaq, Muhammad1 aBITAM, I.1 aRaoult, Didier1 aMediannikov, Oleg uhttps://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S156713481830675001002nas a2200217 4500008004100000022001400041245008400055210006900139260001200208300001600220490000700236520032400243100002500567700002000592700002300612700002600635700002200661700001900683700001900702856006300721 2011 eng d a1080-604000aAltitude-dependent Bartonella quintana Genotype C in Head Lice, Ethiopia0 aAltitudedependent iBartonella quintanai Genotype C in Head Lice  c12-2011 a2357 - 23590 v173 a

To determine the presence of Bartonella quintana in head and body lice from persons in different locations in Ethiopia, we used molecular methods. B. quintana was found in 19 (7%) genotype C head lice and in 76 (18%) genotype A body lice. B. quintana in head lice was positively linked to altitude (p = 0.014).

1 aAngelakis, Emmanouil1 aDiatta, Georges1 aAbdissa, Alemseged1 aTrape, Jean-François1 aMediannikov, Oleg1 aRichet, Hervé1 aRaoult, Didier uhttp://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/17/12/11-0453_article.htm02418nas a2200289 4500008004100000022001400041245008000055210006900135260001200204300001400216490000700230520158200237653002301819653002401842653001201866653001101878100002201889700002601911700001701937700001701954700001801971700001801989700001902007700002302026700002202049856005702071 2018 eng d a1530-366700aMolecular Survey of Head and Body Lice, Pediculus humanus, in France0 aMolecular Survey of Head and Body Lice iPediculus humanusi in Fr c05-2018 a243 - 2510 v183 a

Human lice, Pediculus humanus, are obligate blood-sucking parasites. Phylogenetically, they belong to several mitochondrial clades exhibiting some geographic differences. Currently, the body louse is the only recognized disease vector, with the head louse being proposed as an additional vector. In this article, we study the genetic diversity of head and body lice collected from Bobigny, a town located close to Paris (France), and look for louse-borne pathogens. By amplifying and sequencing the cytb gene, we confirmed the presence of clades A and B in France. Besides, by amplifying and sequencing both cytb and cox1 gene, we reported, for the first time, the presence of clade E, which has thus far only been found in lice from West Africa. DNA from Bartonella quintana was detected in 16.7% of body lice from homeless individuals, but in none of the head lice collected from 47 families. Acinetobacter DNA was detected in 11.5% of head lice belonging to all three clades and 29.1% of body lice. Six species of Acinetobacter were identified, including two potential new ones. Acineto- bacter baumannii was the most prevalent, followed by Candidatus Acinetobacter Bobigny-1, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Acinetobacter nosocomialis, Acinetobacter junii, and Candidatus Acinetobacter Bobigny-2. Body lice were found to be infected only with A. baumannii. These findings show for the first time, the presence of clade E head lice in France. This study is also the first to report the presence of DNAs of several species of Acinetobacter in human head lice in France.

10aAcinetobacter spp.10abartonella quintana10aclade E10aFrance1 aCandy, Kerdalidec1 aAmanzougaghene, Nadia1 aIzri, Arezki1 aBrun, Sophie1 aDurand, Rémy1 aLouni, Meriem1 aRaoult, Didier1 aFenollar, Florence1 aMediannikov, Oleg uhttps://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/vbz.2017.220603014nas a2200241 4500008004100000245005200041210005200093260001200145300001300157490000700170520232900177100002602506700002302532700001902555700002102574700002702595700001502622700002002637700002102657700001902678700002202697856005302719 2018 eng d00aComplexin in ivermectin resistance in body lice0 aComplexin in ivermectin resistance in body lice c08-2018 ae10075690 v143 a

Ivermectin has emerged as very promising pediculicide, particularly in cases of resistance to commonly used pediculicides. Recently, however, the first field-evolved ivermectin-resis- tance in lice was reported. To gain insight into the mechanisms underlying ivermectin-resis- tance, we both looked for mutations in the ivermectin-target site (GluCl) and searched the entire proteome for potential new loci involved in resistance from laboratory susceptible and ivermectin-selected resistant body lice. Polymorphism analysis of cDNA GluCl showed no non-silent mutations. Proteomic analysis identified 22 differentially regulated proteins, of which 13 were upregulated and 9 were downregulated in the resistant strain. We evaluated the correlation between mRNA and protein levels by qRT-PCR and found that the trend in transcriptional variation was consistent with the proteomic changes. Among differentially expressed proteins, a complexin i.e. a neuronal protein which plays a key role in regulating neurotransmitter release, was shown to be the most significantly down-expressed in the ivermectin-resistant lice. Moreover, DNA-mutation analysis revealed that some complexin transcripts from resistant lice gained a premature stop codon, suggesting that this down- expression might be due, in part, to secondary effects of a nonsense mutation inside the gene. We further confirmed the association between complexin and ivermectin-resistance by RNA-interfering and found that knocking down the complexin expression induces resis- tance to ivermectin in susceptible lice. Our results provide evidence that complexin plays a significant role in regulating ivermectin resistance in body lice and represents the first evi- dence that links complexin to insecticide resistance.

December 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 Genetics Editors issue this Expression of Concern. See https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1010531 or https://phthiraptera.myspecies.info/node/96441

1 aAmanzougaghene, Nadia1 aFenollar, Florence1 aNappez, Claude1 aBen-Amara, Amira1 aDecloquement, Philippe1 aAzza, Said1 aBechah, Yassina1 aChabrière, Eric1 aRaoult, Didier1 aMediannikov, Oleg uhttps://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.100756902062nas a2200265 4500008004100000022001300041245008900054210006900143260001200212300001400224490000700238520128900245653001001534653001401544653001501558653001501573653001201588100002601600700002301626700002001649700001901669700001901688700002201707856006701729 2018 eng d a0924857900aMutations in GluCl associated with field ivermectin-resistant head lice from Senegal0 aMutations in GluCl associated with field ivermectinresistant hea c11-2018 a593 - 5980 v523 a

Through its unique mode of action, ivermectin represents a relatively new and very promising tool to fight against human lice, especially in cases of resistance to commonly used pediculicides. However, iver- mectin resistance in the field has already begun to be reported. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms involved is a key step in delaying and tackling this phenomenon.
In this study, field head lice with confirmed clinical resistance to ivermectin in rural human popu- lations from Senegal were subjected to genetic analysis targeting the GluCl gene, the primary target of ivermectin known to be involved in resistance. Through DNA-polymorphism analysis, three relevant non- synonymous mutations in GluCl which were found only in ivermectin-resistant head lice (76 head lice tested), were identified. The A251V mutation found in the TM3 transmembrane domain was the most prevalent (allelic frequency of 0.33), followed by the S46P mutation (0.28) located at the N-terminal ex- tracellular domain. The H272R was in the M3–M4 linker transmembrane region of GluCl and has shown the lowest frequency (0.18). Polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR- RFLP) diagnostic assays were also developed for their accurate genotyping.

10aGluCL10ahead lice10aIvermectin10aresistance10aSenegal1 aAmanzougaghene, Nadia1 aFenollar, Florence1 aDiatta, Georges1 aSokhna, Cheikh1 aRaoult, Didier1 aMediannikov, Oleg uhttps://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S092485791830196103521nas a2200301 4500008004100000245010300041210006900144260001300213300001000226490000700236520259400243653002302837653001202860653002202872653001402894653002302908653002302931653002702954653001802981100001802999700002603017700001303043700002303056700001903079700001403098700002203112856008503134 2018 eng d00aDetection of bacterial pathogens in clade E head lice collected from Niger’s refugees in Algeria0 aDetection of bacterial pathogens in clade E head lice collected  cJun 2018 a11 pp0 v113 a

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.

10aAcinetobacter spp.10aAlgeria10aCoxiella burnetii10ahead lice10aMigrant population10aNiger’s refugees10aNon-migrant population10aScholchildren1 aLouni, Meriem1 aAmanzougaghene, Nadia1 aMANA, N.1 aFenollar, Florence1 aRaoult, Didier1 aBITAM, I.1 aMediannikov, Oleg uhttps://parasitesandvectors.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13071-018-2930-501801nas a2200229 4500008004100000022001300041245005400054210005300108300001400161490000800175520113700183653001501320653002201335653001601357100002101373700002301394700002201417700002401439700001901463700002201482856006701504 2017 eng d a0001706X00aBacterial arthropod-borne diseases in West Africa0 aBacterial arthropodborne diseases in West Africa a124 - 1370 v1713 a

Arthropods such as ticks, lice, fleas and mites are excellent vectors for many pathogenic agents including bacteria, protozoa and viruses to animals. Moreover, many of these pathogens can also be accidentally transmitted to humans throughout the world. Bacterial vector-borne diseases seem to be numerous and very important in human pathology, however, they are often ignored and are not well known. Yet they are in a phase of geographic expansion and play an important role in the etiology of febrile episodes in regions of Africa. Since the introduction of molecular techniques, the presence of these pathogens has been confirmed in various samples from arthropods and animals, and more rarely from human samples in West Africa. In this review, the aim is to summarize the latest information about vector-borne bacteria, focusing on West Africa from 2000 until today in order to better understand the epidemiological risks associated with these arthropods. This will allow health and veterinary authorities to develop a strategy for surveillance of arthropods and bacterial disease in order to protect people and animals.

10aarthropods10aBacterial disease10awest africa1 aEhounoud, C., B.1 aFenollar, Florence1 aDahmani, Mustapha1 aN’Guessan, J., D.1 aRaoult, Didier1 aMediannikov, Oleg uhttps://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0001706X1631084104779nas a2200313 4500008004100000245011300041210006900154260001700223300001300240490000700253520383600260653001204096653003004108653002404138653001404162653002204176653001404198653002504212100001804237700001304255700001404268700002204282700002104304700002304325700001904348700002204367700002304389856005304412 2018 eng d00aBody lice of homeless people reveal the presence of several emerging bacterial pathogens in northern Algeria0 aBody lice of homeless people reveal the presence of several emer c17 April 018 ae00063970 v123 a

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 Boumerdès 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' 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

10aAlgeria10aAnaplasma phagocytophilum10abartonella quintana10abody lice10aCoxiella burnetii10ahead lice10amitochondrial clades1 aLouni, Meriem1 aMANA, N.1 aBITAM, I.1 aDahmani, Mustapha1 aParola, Phillipe1 aFenollar, Florence1 aRaoult, Didier1 aMediannikov, Oleg1 aVinetz, Joseph, M. uhttps://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.000639702262nas a2200253 4500008004100000245009800041210006900139260001600208300001300224490000700237520148200244653002401726653001401750653000901764100002601773700002301799700002801822700002701850700002401877700001901901700002201920700001401942856005201956 2017 eng d00aDetection of bacterial pathogens including potential new species in human head lice from Mali0 aDetection of bacterial pathogens including potential new species cAug-09-2018 ae01846210 v123 a

In poor African countries, where no medical and biological facilities are available, the identifi- cation of potential emerging pathogens of concern at an early stage is challenging. Head lice, Pediculus humanus capitis, have a short life, feed only on human blood and do not transmit pathogens to their progeny. They are, therefore, a perfect tool for the xenodiagno- sis of current or recent human infection. This study assessed the occurrence of bacterial pathogens from head lice collected in two rural villages from Mali, where a high frequency of head lice infestation had previously been reported, using molecular methods. Results show that all 600 head lice, collected from 117 individuals, belonged to clade E, specific to West Africa. Bartonella quintana, the causative agent of trench fever, was identified in three of the 600 (0.5%) head lice studied. Our study also shows, for the first time, the presence of the DNA of two pathogenic bacteria, namely Coxiella burnetii (5.1%) and Rickettsia aeschliman- nii (0.6%), detected in human head lice, as well as the DNA of potential new species from the Anaplasma and Ehrlichia genera of unknown pathogenicity. The finding of several Malian head lice infected with B. quintana, C. burnetii, R. aeschlimannii, Anaplasma and Ehrlichia is alarming and highlights the need for active survey programs to define the public health consequences of the detection of these emerging bacterial pathogens in human head lice.

10abacterial pathogens10ahead lice10aMali1 aAmanzougaghene, Nadia1 aFenollar, Florence1 aSangaré, Abdoul, Karim1 aSissoko, Mahamadou, S.1 aDoumbo, Ogobara, K.1 aRaoult, Didier1 aMediannikov, Oleg1 aGao, Feng uhttp://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.018462103239nas a2200277 4500008004100000245009900041210006900140260001600209300001300225490000700238520239500245653002502640653001002665653001202675100002602687700001702713700002402730700002102754700002802775700002402803700002302827700001902850700002202869700001802891856005202909 2016 eng d00aHead Lice of Pygmies Reveal the Presence of Relapsing Fever Borreliae in the Republic of Congo0 aHead Lice of Pygmies Reveal the Presence of Relapsing Fever Borr cFeb-12-2016 ae00051420 v103 a

Background
Head lice, Pediculus humanus capitis, occur in four divergent mitochondrial clades (A, B, C and D), each having particular geographical distributions. Recent studies suggest that head lice, as is the case of body lice, can act as a vector for louse-borne diseases. Therefore, understanding the genetic diversity of lice worldwide is of critical importance to our under- standing of the risk of louse-borne diseases. 


Methodology/Principal Findings
Here, we report the results of the first molecular screening of pygmies’ head lice in the Republic of Congo for seven pathogens and an analysis of lice mitochondrial clades. We developed two duplex clade-specific real-time PCRs and identified three major mitochon- drial clades: A, C, and D indicating high diversity among the head lice studied. We identified the presence of a dangerous human pathogen, Borrelia recurrentis, the causative agent of relapsing fever, in ten clade A head lice, which was not reported in the Republic of Congo, and B. theileri in one head louse. The results also show widespread infection among head lice with several species of Acinetobacter. A. junii was the most prevalent, followed by A. ursingii, A. baumannii, A. johnsonii, A. schindleri, A. lwoffii, A. nosocomialis and A. towneri.


Conclusions/Significance
Our study is the first to show the presence of B. recurrentis in African pygmies’ head lice in the Republic of Congo. This study is also the first to report the presence of DNAs of B. thei- leri and several species of Acinetobacter in human head lice. Further studies are needed to determine whether the head lice can transmit these pathogenic bacteria from person to another.

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.0010925 or https://phthiraptera.myspecies.info/node/96442

 

10aBorrelia recurrentis10aCongo10aPygmies1 aAmanzougaghene, Nadia1 aAkiana, Jean1 aMongo-Ndombe, Géor1 aDavoust, Bernard1 aNsana, Nardiouf, Sjelin1 aParra, Henri-Joseph1 aFenollar, Florence1 aRaoult, Didier1 aMediannikov, Oleg1 aLopez, Job, E uhttp://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.000514202375nas a2200217 4500008004100000245014100041210006900182260001600251300001000267490000700277520165600284100002601940700002501966700002301991700001502014700002102029700001902050700002202069700001402091856005202105 2016 eng d00aHigh Ancient Genetic Diversity of Human Lice, Pediculus humanus, from Israel Reveals New Insights into the Origin of Clade B Lice0 aHigh Ancient Genetic Diversity of Human Lice iPediculus humanusi cFeb-10-2017 a14 pp0 v113 a

The human head louse, Pediculus humanus capitis, is subdivided into several significantly divergent mitochondrial haplogroups, each with particular geographical distributions. His- torically, they are among the oldest human parasites, representing an excellent marker for tracking older events in human evolutionary history. In this study, ancient DNA analysis using real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), combined with conventional PCR, was applied to the remains of twenty-four ancient head lice and their eggs from the Roman period which were recovered from Israel. The lice and eggs were found in three combs, one of which was recovered from archaeological excavations in the Hatzeva area of the Judean desert, and two of which found in Moa, in the Arava region, close to the Dead Sea. Results show that the head lice remains dating approximately to 2,000 years old have a cytb hap- logroup A, which is worldwide in distribution, and haplogroup B, which has thus far only been found in contemporary lice from America, Europe, Australia and, most recently, Africa. More specifically, this haplogroup B has a B36 haplotype, the most common among B haplogroups, and has been present in America for at least 4,000 years. The present find- ings confirm that clade B lice existed, at least in the Middle East, prior to contacts between Native Americans and Europeans. These results support a Middle Eastern origin for clade B followed by its introduction into the New World with the early peoples. Lastly, the pres- ence of Acinetobacter baumannii DNA was demonstrated by qPCR and sequencing in four head lice remains belonging to clade A.

1 aAmanzougaghene, Nadia1 aMumcuoglu, Kosta, Y.1 aFenollar, Florence1 aAlfi, Shir1 aYesilyurt, Gonca1 aRaoult, Didier1 aMediannikov, Oleg1 aGao, Feng uhttp://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0164659