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Larkin K, Toloza AC, Gabrie JA, Rodríguez CA, Rueda MM, Matamoros G, Palacio O, Jamani S, Fontecha G, Sanchez AL. First Detection of Acinetobacter baumannii in Pediculus humanus capitis from Latin America. Trop Med Infect Dis 2023; 8:345. [PMID: 37505641 PMCID: PMC10386172 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed8070345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Several studies have documented the presence of Acinetobacter baumannii, a known multi-drug-resistant pathogen, in the human head louse, Pediculus humanus capitis. Since no reports from countries in Latin America have been published, the aim of the present study was to determine whether A. baumannii was present in head lice specimens collected in this geographic region. Head lice specimens from Argentina, Colombia, and Honduras were analyzed. PCR assays were performed to confirm the specimens' species and to investigate whether the DNA of A. baumannii was present. The products of the latter were sequenced to confirm bacterial identity. Altogether, 122 pools of head lice were analyzed, of which two (1.64%) were positive for A. baumannii's DNA. The positive head lice had been collected at the poorest study site in Honduras. The remaining specimens were negative. This study is the first to report the presence of A. baumannii in human head lice from Latin America. Further investigations are required to elucidate whether these ectoparasites can serve as natural reservoirs or even effectively transmit A. baumannii to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey Larkin
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, Brock University, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada
| | - Ariel Ceferino Toloza
- Centro de Investigaciones de Plagas e Insecticidas (CONICET-UNIDEF), Villa Martelli, Buenos Aires 1603, Argentina
| | - Jose Antonio Gabrie
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, Brock University, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada
| | - Carol A Rodríguez
- Department of Parasitology, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras, Boulevard Suyapa, Tegucigalpa 11101, Honduras
| | - Maria Mercedes Rueda
- Department of Parasitology, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras, Boulevard Suyapa, Tegucigalpa 11101, Honduras
| | - Gabriela Matamoros
- Microbiology Research Institute, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras, Boulevard Suyapa, Tegucigalpa 11101, Honduras
| | - Oscar Palacio
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, Brock University, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada
| | - Shabana Jamani
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, Brock University, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada
| | - Gustavo Fontecha
- Microbiology Research Institute, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras, Boulevard Suyapa, Tegucigalpa 11101, Honduras
| | - Ana L Sanchez
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, Brock University, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada
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