title: Hemocytes from Pediculus humanus humanus are hosts for human bacterial pathogens.
abstract: Pediculus humanus humanus is an human ectoparasite which represents a serious public health threat because it is vector for pathogenic bacteria. It is important to understand and identify where bacteria reside in human body lice to define new strategies to counterstroke the capacity of vectorization of the bacterial pathogens by body lice. It is known that phagocytes from vertebrates can be hosts or reservoirs for several microbes. Therefore, we wondered if Pediculus humanus humanus phagocytes could hide pathogens. In this study, we characterized the phagocytes from Pediculus humanus humanus and evaluated their contribution as hosts for human pathogens such as Rickettsia prowazekii, Bartonella Quintana, and Acinetobacter baumannii.
authors: CNRS UMR 7278, IRD198, INSERM U1095, Aix-Marseille Université Marseille, France.
authors: Pierre-Julien
authors: PJ
authors: Coulaud
authors: CNRS UMR 7278, IRD198, INSERM U1095, Aix-Marseille Université Marseille, France.
authors: Catherine
authors: C
authors: Lepolard
authors: CNRS UMR 7278, IRD198, INSERM U1095, Aix-Marseille Université Marseille, France.
authors: Yassina
authors: Y
authors: Bechah
authors: CNRS UMR 7278, IRD198, INSERM U1095, Aix-Marseille Université Marseille, France.
authors: Jean-Michel
authors: JM
authors: Berenger
authors: CNRS UMR 7278, IRD198, INSERM U1095, Aix-Marseille Université Marseille, France.
authors: Didier
authors: D
authors: Raoult
authors: CNRS UMR 7278, IRD198, INSERM U1095, Aix-Marseille Université Marseille, France.
authors: Eric
authors: E
authors: Ghigo
mesh_terms: D040981:Acinetobacter baumannii / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000635:transmission; D018413:Bartonella quintana / Q000502:physiology*; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000382:microbiology; D006434:Hemocytes / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000382:microbiology*; D010374:Pediculus / Q000382:microbiology*; D010586:Phagocytes / Q000382:microbiology; D012283:Rickettsia prowazekii / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: body lice; phagocytes; typhus