Evidence for an African cluster of human head and body lice with variable colors and interbreeding of lice between continents.
BACKGROUND
Human head lice and body lice have been classified based on phenotypic characteristics, including geographical source, ecotype (preferred egg laying site hair or clothes), shape and color. More recently, genotypic studies have been based on mitochondrial genes, nuclear genes and intergenic spacers. Mitochondrial genetic analysis reclassified lice into three genotypes (A, B and C). However, no previous study has attempted to correlate both genotypic and phenotypic data.


METHODS
Lice were collected in four African countries: Senegal, Burundi, Rwanda and Ethiopia and were photographed to compare their colors. The Multi-Spacer-Typing (MST) method was used to genotype lice belonging to the worldwide Clade A, allowing a comparison of phenotypic and genotypic data.


RESULTS
No congruence between louse color and genotype has been identified. Phylogenetic analysis of the spacer PM2, performed including lice from other sources, showed the existence of an African cluster of human lice. However, the analysis of other spacers suggested that lice from different areas are interbreeding.


CONCLUSIONS
We identified two geotypes of Clade A head and body lice including one that is specifically African, that can be either black or grey and can live on the head or in clothing. We also hypothesized that lice from different areas are interbreeding.
Unité de Recherche sur les Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales Emergentes, UMR CNRS 6236, IRD 198, IFR48, Faculté de Médecine, Université de la Méditerranée, Marseille, France.
Aurélie
A
Veracx
Amina
A
Boutellis
Vicky
V
Merhej
Georges
G
Diatta
Didier
D
Raoult
D000349:Africa; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001947:Breeding; D021901:DNA, Intergenic; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010374:Pediculus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D010641:Phenotype; D010802:Phylogeny; D058974:Phylogeography
D021901:DNA, Intergenic