title: Distinguishing body lice from head lice by multiplex real-time PCR analysis of the Phum_PHUM540560 gene.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Body louse or head louse? Once removed from their environment, body and head lice are indistinguishable. Neither the morphological criteria used since the mid-18th century nor the various genetic studies conducted since the advent of molecular biology tools have allowed body lice and head lice to be differentiated. In this work, using a portion of the Phum_PHUM540560 gene from the body louse, we aimed to develop a multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay to differentiate between body and head lice in a single reaction.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 142 human lice were collected from mono-infested hosts from 13 countries on five continents. We first identified the louse clade using a cytochrome b (CYTB) PCR sequence alignment. We then aligned a fragment of the Phum_PHUM540560 gene amplified from head and body lice to design-specific TaqMan(©) FAM- and VIC-labeled probes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All the analyzed lice were Clade A lice. A total of 22 polymorphisms between the body and head lice were characterized. The multiplex real-time PCR analysis enabled the body and head lice to be distinguished in two hours. This method is simple, with 100% specificity and sensitivity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We confirmed that the Phum_PHUM540560 gene is a useful genetic marker for the study of lice.
authors.affiliation: Aix Marseille Université, URMITE, UM63, CNRS 7278, IRD 198, Inserm 1095, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Rezak
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Drali
authors.forename: Amina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boutellis
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Raoult
authors.forename: Jean Marc
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Rolain
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brouqui
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017344:Genes, Insect / Q000235:genetics*; D050259:Genes, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics; D005819:Genetic Markers / Q000235:genetics; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D010374:Pediculus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D005819:Genetic Markers