Location
Nessmith-Lane Atrium
Session Format
Poster Presentation
Research Area Topic:
Natural & Physical Sciences - Biology
Co-Presenters and Faculty Mentors or Advisors
Marina E. Eremeeva (Georgia Southern University)
Abstract
Background: Pediculus humanus humanus and Pediculus humanus capitis are bloodsucking human ectoparasites. Human body lice have been long known to vector several human pathogens, including Rickettsia prowazekii, Bartonella quintana, and Borrelia recurrentis. In contrast, human head lice are not typically associated with carriage of any pathogens, despite sporadic findings of B. quintana and Acinetobacter baumannii in lice collected from homeless people and children in different parts of the world. The purpose of this project is to assess the prevalence of A. baumannii in human head lice collected from school children from Georgia, USA. Methodology and Data: DNA of A. baumannii was extracted from an isolate cultured from a beach water sample. A rpoB fragment of this A. baumannii isolate was PCR amplified and cloned into a plasmid as an assay control. The rpoB recombinant plasmid was purified; its DNA was measured and serial 10-fold dilutions were prepared. PCR conditions were optimized to detect this rpoB gene fragment of A. baumannii using a TaqMan assay; the limits of detection and efficiency of amplification of A. baumanii DNA were determined. DNA of human head lice was tested and the overall prevalence of positive samples was determined. Outcomes and Significance: Finding A. baumannii in association with human head lice is an important observation, and is of a particular concern because this otherwise opportunistic environmental microorganism harbors numerous antibiotic resistant genes. If the lice are infected with this agent, it may lead to greater severity of the presentation of pediculosis in some individuals, particularly those with weakened immune systems.
Keywords
Lice, Head lice, A. baumannii, Pediculosis, Health, Gene, Antibiotic resistant
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Presentation Type and Release Option
Presentation (Open Access)
Start Date
4-16-2016 10:45 AM
End Date
4-16-2016 12:00 PM
Recommended Citation
Warang, Shamta, "Detection of Acinetobacter baumanniiin Human Lice" (2016). GS4 Georgia Southern Student Scholars Symposium. 1.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/research_symposium/2016/2016/1
Included in
Detection of Acinetobacter baumanniiin Human Lice
Nessmith-Lane Atrium
Background: Pediculus humanus humanus and Pediculus humanus capitis are bloodsucking human ectoparasites. Human body lice have been long known to vector several human pathogens, including Rickettsia prowazekii, Bartonella quintana, and Borrelia recurrentis. In contrast, human head lice are not typically associated with carriage of any pathogens, despite sporadic findings of B. quintana and Acinetobacter baumannii in lice collected from homeless people and children in different parts of the world. The purpose of this project is to assess the prevalence of A. baumannii in human head lice collected from school children from Georgia, USA. Methodology and Data: DNA of A. baumannii was extracted from an isolate cultured from a beach water sample. A rpoB fragment of this A. baumannii isolate was PCR amplified and cloned into a plasmid as an assay control. The rpoB recombinant plasmid was purified; its DNA was measured and serial 10-fold dilutions were prepared. PCR conditions were optimized to detect this rpoB gene fragment of A. baumannii using a TaqMan assay; the limits of detection and efficiency of amplification of A. baumanii DNA were determined. DNA of human head lice was tested and the overall prevalence of positive samples was determined. Outcomes and Significance: Finding A. baumannii in association with human head lice is an important observation, and is of a particular concern because this otherwise opportunistic environmental microorganism harbors numerous antibiotic resistant genes. If the lice are infected with this agent, it may lead to greater severity of the presentation of pediculosis in some individuals, particularly those with weakened immune systems.
