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First Detection of Acinetobacter baumannii in Pediculus humanus capitis from Latin America
Kelsey Larkin1, Ariel Ceferino Toloza2, Jose Antonio Gabrie1
1Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, Brock University, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada.
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.
Insights
This study found the multi-drug-resistant pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii in human head lice from Latin America for the first time. Further research is needed to understand if head lice act as reservoirs or vectors for this bacteria.
Area of Science:
- Medical Entomology
- Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- The multi-drug-resistant pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii has been detected in human head lice (Pediculus humanus capitis) in previous studies.
- No reports have documented the presence of A. baumannii in head lice from Latin America.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence of A. baumannii in head lice specimens collected from Argentina, Colombia, and Honduras.
- To determine if head lice in Latin America harbor this multidrug-resistant bacterium.
Main Methods:
- Head lice specimens were collected from Argentina, Colombia, and Honduras.
- PCR assays were used to confirm the species of Pediculus humanus capitis and detect the DNA of A. baumannii.
- DNA sequencing was performed to confirm the identity of A. baumannii.
Main Results:
- Out of 122 analyzed pools of head lice, two (1.64%) tested positive for A. baumannii DNA.
- The positive samples originated from a low-income area in Honduras.
- All other specimens analyzed were negative for A. baumannii.
Conclusions:
- This research marks the first report of A. baumannii presence in human head lice within Latin America.
- Further studies are necessary to ascertain if head lice can act as natural reservoirs or transmission vectors for A. baumannii.
- The findings highlight the potential role of ectoparasites in the epidemiology of multidrug-resistant pathogens.
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