title: Human pathogens in body and head lice.
abstract: Using polymerase chain reaction and sequencing, we investigated the prevalence of Rickettsia prowazekii, Bartonella quintana, and Borrelia recurrentis in 841 body lice collected from various countries. We detected R. prowazekii in body lice from Burundi in 1997 and in lice from Burundi and Rwanda in 2001; B. quintana infections of body lice were widespread. We did not detect B. recurrentis in any lice.
authors.affiliation: Université des la Méditerranée, Marseille Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Pierre-Edouard
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Fournier
authors.forename: Jean-Bosco
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Ndihokubwayo
authors.forename: Jo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guidran
authors.forename: Patrick J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Raoult
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018413:Bartonella quintana / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D003441:Crowding; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D006801:Humans; D010374:Pediculus / Q000382:microbiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D012036:Refugees; D012283:Rickettsia prowazekii / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014205:Trench Fever / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014438:Typhus, Epidemic Louse-Borne / Q000453:epidemiology*