[Lice and lice-borne diseases in humans]

Med Trop (Mars). 2005;65(1):13-23.
[Article in French]

Abstract

Among the three lice which parasite the human being, the human body louse, Pediculus humanus humanus, is a vector of infectious diseases. It lives and multiplies in clothes and human infestation is associated with cold weather and a lack of hygiene. Three pathogenic bacteria are transmitted by the body louse: 1) Rickettsia prowazekii, the agent of epidemic typhus of which the most recent outbreak (and the largest since World War II) was observed during the civil war in Burundi; 2) Borrelia recurrentis, the agent of relapsing fever, historically responsible of massive outbreaks in Eurasia and Africa, which prevails currently in Ethiopia and neighboring countries; 3) Bartonella quintana, the agent of trench fever, bacillary angiomatosis, chronic bacteremia, endocarditis, and lymphadenopathy. Body louse infestation, associated with a decline in social and hygienic conditions provoked by civil unrest and economic instability, is reemergent worldwide. Recently, a forth human pathogen, Acinetobacter baumannii, has been associated to the body louse.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Arthropod Vectors / microbiology*
  • Bartonella quintana*
  • Borrelia*
  • Humans
  • Pediculus / microbiology*
  • Relapsing Fever / diagnosis
  • Relapsing Fever / drug therapy
  • Relapsing Fever / transmission*
  • Rickettsia prowazekii*
  • Trench Fever / diagnosis
  • Trench Fever / drug therapy
  • Trench Fever / transmission*
  • Typhus, Epidemic Louse-Borne / diagnosis
  • Typhus, Epidemic Louse-Borne / drug therapy
  • Typhus, Epidemic Louse-Borne / transmission*