Impact factors and genetic characteristics of head lice infestation in schoolchildren: a cross-sectional study from 2018 to 2023 in central China.

IF 3 2区 医学 Q1 PARASITOLOGY
Yi-Tian Fu, Yuan-Ping Deng, Yue Xie, Hui-Mei Wang, Yan-Yan Peng, Guo-Hua Liu, Xiang Wu
{"title":"Impact factors and genetic characteristics of head lice infestation in schoolchildren: a cross-sectional study from 2018 to 2023 in central China.","authors":"Yi-Tian Fu, Yuan-Ping Deng, Yue Xie, Hui-Mei Wang, Yan-Yan Peng, Guo-Hua Liu, Xiang Wu","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06825-9","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Head lice (Pediculus humanus capitis) infestation is a worldwide public health concern, especially in school-aged children. However, its main impact factors and genetic characteristics remain poorly understood in China. Hence, the purpose of the study was to explore the precise association between multiple impact factors and head lice infestation, characterize the genetic variation of the head lice, and develop a sensitive and specific mitochondrial (mt) DNA duplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for accurately distinguishing clades A and B.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional study was conducted in Hunan Province, central China from January 2018 to July 2023. A total of 9254 schoolchildren from 48 primary schools in each administrative region were examined for head lice. Impact factors for infestation were analyzed using the data collected by a questionnaire. The mt cytb gene sequences of head lice collected in the current study were used for sequence analysis, then were added to the global pool to conduct the phylogenetic analyses. Primers designed on the basis of this gene sequence were used in duplex PCR to diagnose head lice clades A and B by amplicon size.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Head lice infestation was found in 93.8% (45/48) of the primary schools included in the study. Overall, 6.8% (630/9254) of the examined schoolchildren harbored head lice, with 94.6% (596/630) being girls. A total of 2132 adult head lice were collected from 630 infested cases. The impact factors for head lice infestation included gender, school location, family situation, per capita income, study mode, and hair washing per week (p < 0.01). However, season and age were not considered as impact factors for head lice prevalence (p > 0.05). Phylogenetic analysis based on mt cytb gene sequences showed that head lice are classified into two clades (A and B), with clade B being more dominant in Hunan Province, central China. The newly developed duplex PCR was able to differentiate clades A from B in China with 100% sensitivity and specificity.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our findings revealed that head lice infestation is mostly associated with poverty and poor hygiene in Hunan Province, central China. It is crucial to consider the simultaneous surveillance of head lice infestation in schoolchildren in regions with low level of socioeconomic status; however, datasets from other provinces are warranted to confirm the findings. It further showed that clades A and B are common in central China and that the latter has emerged and become the dominant one.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"184"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0000,"publicationDate":"2025-05-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12096793/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Parasites & Vectors","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-025-06825-9","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"PARASITOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background: Head lice (Pediculus humanus capitis) infestation is a worldwide public health concern, especially in school-aged children. However, its main impact factors and genetic characteristics remain poorly understood in China. Hence, the purpose of the study was to explore the precise association between multiple impact factors and head lice infestation, characterize the genetic variation of the head lice, and develop a sensitive and specific mitochondrial (mt) DNA duplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for accurately distinguishing clades A and B.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Hunan Province, central China from January 2018 to July 2023. A total of 9254 schoolchildren from 48 primary schools in each administrative region were examined for head lice. Impact factors for infestation were analyzed using the data collected by a questionnaire. The mt cytb gene sequences of head lice collected in the current study were used for sequence analysis, then were added to the global pool to conduct the phylogenetic analyses. Primers designed on the basis of this gene sequence were used in duplex PCR to diagnose head lice clades A and B by amplicon size.

Results: Head lice infestation was found in 93.8% (45/48) of the primary schools included in the study. Overall, 6.8% (630/9254) of the examined schoolchildren harbored head lice, with 94.6% (596/630) being girls. A total of 2132 adult head lice were collected from 630 infested cases. The impact factors for head lice infestation included gender, school location, family situation, per capita income, study mode, and hair washing per week (p < 0.01). However, season and age were not considered as impact factors for head lice prevalence (p > 0.05). Phylogenetic analysis based on mt cytb gene sequences showed that head lice are classified into two clades (A and B), with clade B being more dominant in Hunan Province, central China. The newly developed duplex PCR was able to differentiate clades A from B in China with 100% sensitivity and specificity.

Conclusions: Our findings revealed that head lice infestation is mostly associated with poverty and poor hygiene in Hunan Province, central China. It is crucial to consider the simultaneous surveillance of head lice infestation in schoolchildren in regions with low level of socioeconomic status; however, datasets from other provinces are warranted to confirm the findings. It further showed that clades A and B are common in central China and that the latter has emerged and become the dominant one.

2018 - 2023年华中地区学龄儿童头虱感染影响因素及遗传特征的横断面研究
背景:头虱(人头虱)感染是一个世界性的公共卫生问题,特别是在学龄儿童中。然而,其主要影响因素和遗传特征在中国尚不清楚。因此,本研究的目的是探索多种影响因素与头虱感染之间的精确关联,表征头虱的遗传变异,并开发一种敏感和特异性的线粒体(mt) DNA双聚合酶链反应(PCR)来准确区分a和b分支。方法:于2018年1月至2023年7月在中国中部湖南省进行横切面研究。对各行政区48所小学9254名小学生进行了头虱检查。采用问卷调查的方法对影响因素进行分析。将本研究收集的头虱mt cytb基因序列进行序列分析,然后加入全球基因库进行系统发育分析。利用该基因序列设计的引物进行双链PCR,根据扩增子大小对头虱A、B支系进行诊断。结果:93.8%(45/48)的小学有头虱感染。总体而言,6.8%(630/9254)的受访学童携带头虱,其中94.6%(596/630)为女孩。在630例感染病例中共采集成人头虱2132只。性别、学校位置、家庭情况、人均收入、学习方式、每周洗头次数是影响头虱发生的因素(p < 0.05)。基于mt cytb基因序列的系统发育分析表明,头虱可分为A、B两个支系,其中B支系在湖南省较占优势。新建立的双链PCR在中国能够以100%的灵敏度和特异性区分A和B支。结论:我们的研究结果表明,在中国中部湖南省,头虱感染主要与贫困和卫生条件差有关。至关重要的是要考虑同时监测社会经济地位较低地区学童的头虱感染情况;然而,来自其他省份的数据集可以证实这一发现。进一步表明A支和B支在华中地区普遍存在,后者已经出现并成为优势支。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
求助全文
约1分钟内获得全文 求助全文
来源期刊
Parasites & Vectors
Parasites & Vectors 医学-寄生虫学
CiteScore
6.30
自引率
9.40%
发文量
433
审稿时长
1.4 months
期刊介绍: Parasites & Vectors is an open access, peer-reviewed online journal dealing with the biology of parasites, parasitic diseases, intermediate hosts, vectors and vector-borne pathogens. Manuscripts published in this journal will be available to all worldwide, with no barriers to access, immediately following acceptance. However, authors retain the copyright of their material and may use it, or distribute it, as they wish. Manuscripts on all aspects of the basic and applied biology of parasites, intermediate hosts, vectors and vector-borne pathogens will be considered. In addition to the traditional and well-established areas of science in these fields, we also aim to provide a vehicle for publication of the rapidly developing resources and technology in parasite, intermediate host and vector genomics and their impacts on biological research. We are able to publish large datasets and extensive results, frequently associated with genomic and post-genomic technologies, which are not readily accommodated in traditional journals. Manuscripts addressing broader issues, for example economics, social sciences and global climate change in relation to parasites, vectors and disease control, are also welcomed.
×
引用
GB/T 7714-2015
复制
MLA
复制
APA
复制
导出至
BibTeX EndNote RefMan NoteFirst NoteExpress
×
提示
您的信息不完整,为了账户安全,请先补充。
现在去补充
×
提示
您因"违规操作"
具体请查看互助需知
我知道了
×
提示
确定
请完成安全验证×
copy
已复制链接
快去分享给好友吧!
我知道了
右上角分享
点击右上角分享
0
联系我们:info@booksci.cn Book学术提供免费学术资源搜索服务,方便国内外学者检索中英文文献。致力于提供最便捷和优质的服务体验。 Copyright © 2023 布克学术 All rights reserved.
京ICP备2023020795号-1
ghs 京公网安备 11010802042870号
Book学术文献互助
Book学术文献互助群
群 号:481959085
Book学术官方微信