Abstract
Two species of lice are ectoparasites of humans, Pediculus humanus with the two subspecies P. humanus capitis (head louse), living in head hair, and P. humanus humanus (body or clothing louse), staying in clothes and approaching the skin only to feed, and Pthirus pubis (crab louse), colonising mainly the hairs of the genital region. Besides humans, only some monkeys are hosts of these obligate parasites that spend the entire life cycle on the host. The strong association with the host is reflected in morphological peculiarities: very short antennae, reduced eyes, and no wings. Since they are hemimetabolous insects, all postembryonic stages suck blood. Symbionts are located in mycetomes and are transmitted during egg development. Only P. humanus humanus is relevant as a vector of Rickettsia prowazekii (louse-borne epidemic typhus), Bartonella quintana (trench or 5-day fever), and Borrelia recurrentis (louse-borne relapsing fever). Since economic instability and wars cause large migrations of humans, louse infestations become more prevalent, increasing the risk of transmission of neglected diseases.
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