AI Article Synopsis
- - The study focuses on the head louse, Pediculus humanus capitis, which is a significant public health concern globally, particularly in northern Iran, where genetic analysis is key for managing infestations.
- - Researchers collected adult head lice from 100 infested individuals across five regions in Mazandaran Province and analyzed their mitochondrial DNA, discovering two genetic clades (A and B) and identifying 13 haplotypes.
- - Clade A was the most prevalent, representing 75% of samples, and the findings indicated high genetic diversity among the lice populations, with 11 of the haplotypes being previously unknown.
Article Abstract
Background: The head louse, Pediculus humanus capitis, is an obligate ectoparasite and its infestation remains a major public health issue worldwide. Determining the genetic characteristics of the existing clades is essential to identify the population structure and to develop head lice-control programs. Hence, we aimed to investigate the genetic diversity of head lice among infested individuals in northern Iran.
Methods: Adult head lice were collected from 100 infested individuals referring to the health centers throughout five geographical regions in Mazandaran Province, Iran. Partial fragments of the mitochondrial cytb gene were amplified by PCR, then consequently sequenced.
Results: The results of the phylogenetic tree of collected head lice confirmed the existence of two clades, A and B, in the studied areas. Thirteen haplotypes were detected in the studied populations, of which 11 were novel haplotypes. Clade A was the dominant form and accounted for 75% of samples, while clade B included the rest. Haplotype and nucleotide diversity were 0.999 and 0.0411, respectively.
Conclusions: Clade A and B of Pediculus humanus capitis exist among the human populations of northern Iran. We observed high genotypic diversity of this head lice.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/trstmh/trae040 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
First Report of the Gene Mutations Associated with Permethrin Resistance in Head Lice ( De Geer, 1767) from Primary School Children in Istanbul (Türkiye) and Nagarkot (Nepal).
Pathogens
December 2024
Department of Medical Microbiology, Acibadem University School of Medicine, Istanbul 34752, Türkiye.
Head lice infestation (HLI), caused by De Geer, 1767, has long been a common global problem of school children. Permethrin is an old pyrethroid derivative that has been used commonly for its treatment, and it exerts its activity over the voltage-sensitive calcium channels (VSCC) of the lice. There has been a growing list of persistent HLI cases lately in the world among patients using permethrin, and knockdown resistance (kdr)-related point mutations on VSCC have been identified and reported from those resistant lice samples.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBartonella quintana Endocarditis Associated With Head Lice in a Canadian Indigenous Youth.
Pediatr Infect Dis J
December 2024
From the Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Paediatrics.
Bartonella quintana is a rare but important cause of culture-negative endocarditis, classically associated with body lice infestation. We report the first known pediatric case of Bartonella quintana endocarditis associated with head lice. The importance of sending targeted testing for this organism in at-risk patients, ideally on tissue specimens, is emphasized.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- - Bartonella quintana can lead to serious health issues, including endocarditis and chronic infections, and is mainly spread by body lice, particularly in homeless populations.
- - A case study in the U.S. highlighted two kidney transplant recipients who contracted the infection from an organ donor who was homeless; one case was atypical while the other showed mild symptoms.
- - Timely detection and treatment allowed both recipients to recover, emphasizing the importance of assessing organ donors' living conditions, specifically those with a history of homelessness or lice infestations, for potential B. quintana infections in transplant recipients.
Article Synopsis
- Bartonella quintana infection can cause serious health issues like bacillary angiomatosis and culture-negative endocarditis, mainly affecting individuals who are homeless.
- In a study conducted in New York City between January 2020 and November 2023, five cases of left-sided, culture-negative endocarditis were identified in unsheltered homeless persons using molecular methods.
- Most patients had serious complications and a history of body louse exposure, highlighting the need for clinicians to consider housing status and potential lice infestation when diagnosing and treating suspected cases.
Article Synopsis
- Louseborne Bartonella quintana infections mainly affect homeless individuals in the U.S. due to poor hygiene resources, and these infections can impact organ transplant recipients.
- The increase in homelessness raises concerns about the transmission of B. quintana through organ donations from former homeless donors.
- To reduce B. quintana transmission, interventions like better housing access, hygiene resources, early treatment of infections, and testing/prophylactic treatments for transplant recipients are necessary.
Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!