Molecular investigation and genetic diversity of Pediculus and Pthirus lice in France.

ABSTRACT:

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

SUBMITTER: Amanzougaghene N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7140345 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature