DETECTION OF BACTERIAL PATHOGENS AND ENDOSYMBIONTS IN HEAD LOUSE, PEDICULUS HUMANIS CAPITIS COLLETED FROM PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN, NONTHABURI THAILAND

Abstract

The objective of this study was to analyze and detect bacterial infection in head lice (Pediculus humanus capitis) collected from female primary school students in Nonthaburi Province, Thailand. A total of 110 head louse samples were collected. The presence of the DNA of Bartonella, Acinetobacter, Staphylococcus and Wolbachia was detected by a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique and confirmed by DNA sequencing. The bacterial pathogens detected were then subjected to classification via the analysis of a phylogenetic tree. The subsequent analysis of the nucleotide sequence revealed one sample to be A. baumannii (0.91%) from the rpoB gene. A. baumannii has been identified as a drug-resistant pathogen that is responsible for nosocomial infections. The detection of Wolbachia bacteria was achieved for five samples (4.55%), utilizing the wsp gene. Phylogenetic tree analysis classified Wolbachia into Wolbachia supergroups B and F. However, DNA from Bartonella sp. and Staphylococcus sp. could not be detected in the head louse samples. This finding contributes to the advancement of knowledge regarding the role of head lice as a vector for pathogenic bacteria, and it can serve as a valuable database for surveillance and information management to address head lice issues at the community and national levels.