Sarcoptes scabiei mites in humans are distributed into three genetically distinct clades.
Scabies is an ectoparasitic infestation caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei. Currently, S. scabiei is taxonomically divided into different varieties on the basis of host origin. Genetics-based research on scabies has been conducted, but the data on genetic diversity of populations of this mite in humans in Europe are lacking. We evaluated the genetic diversity of populations of S. scabiei. A large series of mites obtained from humans in France and the data of mites from various hosts and geographical areas retrieved from GenBank were included to investigate whether mites are divided into distinct populations. The study of cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene polymorphisms were found to be best suited for phylogenetic analysis. S. scabiei mites were distributed into three genetically distinct clades, with most mites clustering in clades B and C. The Fst value and the Nm value calculated for mites included in clades B and C indicated a strong population structure and a very low gene flow between mites of those clades. The results of the present study not only support the rejection of the hypothesis of panmixia for S. scabiei in humans but also suggest that mites belonging to different clades are genetically isolated. Moreover, the results suggest that the subdivision of S. scabies in varieties according to animal or human hosts is not warranted. In conclusion, S. scabiei mites in humans do not constitute a homogeneous population. Further investigations are now required to assess whether different clinical forms of scabies are associated with particular haplotypes or clades.
Service de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Hôpital Avicenne, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, France.
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Andriantsoanirina
Genetics and Genomics of Insect Vectors Unit, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
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Ariey
Service de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Hôpital Avicenne, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, France; Aix Marseille Université, IRD French Institute of Research for Development, EHESP French School of Public Health, EPV UMR_D 190 "Emergence des Pathologies Virales", & IHU Méditerranée Infection, APHM Public Hospitals of Marseille 13385, Marseille, France; UFR SMBH, Université Paris 13, Bobigny, France.
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Izri
Université Paris-Est Créteil Val de Marne, Service de Dermatologie, Hôpital Henri-Mondor Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Créteil, France; EA EpiDermE (Epidemiology in Dermatology and Evaluation of Therapeutics) and INSERM Centre d'Investigation Clinique (CIC) 1430, Université Paris-Est Créteil, Créteil, France; Parasitology Department, Dynamyc Research Group, UPEC Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, France.
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Bernigaud
Parasitology Department, Dynamyc Research Group, UPEC Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, France.
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Fang
Aix Marseille Université, IRD French Institute of Research for Development, EHESP French School of Public Health, EPV UMR_D 190 "Emergence des Pathologies Virales", & IHU Méditerranée Infection, APHM Public Hospitals of Marseille 13385, Marseille, France.
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Charrel
Université Paris-Est Créteil Val de Marne and Laboratory of Parasitology and Mycology, Hôpital Henri Mondor, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Créteil, France.
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Foulet
Université Paris-Est Créteil Val de Marne and Laboratory of Parasitology and Mycology, Hôpital Henri Mondor, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Créteil, France.
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Botterel
Parasitology Department, Dynamyc Research Group, UPEC Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, France.
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Guillot
Université Paris-Est Créteil Val de Marne, Service de Dermatologie, Hôpital Henri-Mondor Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Créteil, France; EA EpiDermE (Epidemiology in Dermatology and Evaluation of Therapeutics) and INSERM Centre d'Investigation Clinique (CIC) 1430, Université Paris-Est Créteil, Créteil, France.
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Chosidow
Service de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Hôpital Avicenne, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, France; UFR SMBH, Université Paris 13, Bobigny, France; UMR216, Mère et Enfant Face Aux Infections Tropicales, Faculté des Sciences Pharmaceutiques et Biologiques, Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France. Electronic address: remy.durand@avc.aphp.fr.
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Durand
D000818:Animals; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000235:genetics*; D005060:Europe; D051456:Gene Flow; D006801:Humans; D010802:Phylogeny; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D012520:Sarcoptes scabiei / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D012532:Scabies / Q000469:parasitology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV
Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene; Sarcoptes scabiei; phylogenetic analysis; population genetic substructuring; scabies