How to translate text using browser tools
1 September 2013 Genetic Recombination Events between Sympatric Clade A and Clade C Lice in Africa
Aurélie Veracx, Amina Boutellis, Didier Raoult
Author Affiliations +
Abstract

Human head and body lice have been classified into three phylogenetic clades (Clades A, B, and C) based on mitochondrial DNA. Based on nuclear markers (the 18S rRNA gene and the PM2 spacer), two genotypes of Clade A head and body lice, including one that is specifically African (Clade A2), have been described. In this study, we sequenced the PM2 spacer of Clade C head lice from Ethiopia and compared these sequences with sequences from previous works. Trees were drawn, and an analysis of genetic diversity based on the cytochrome b gene and the PM2 spacer was performed for African and non-African lice. In the tree drawn based on the PM2 spacer, the African and non-African lice formed separate clusters. However, Clade C lice from Ethiopia were placed within the African Clade A subcluster (Clade A2). This result suggests that recombination events have occurred between Clade A2 lice and Clade C lice, reflecting the sympatric nature of African lice. Finally, the PM2 spacer and cytochrome b gene sequences of human lice revealed a higher level of genetic diversity in Africa than in other regions.

© 2013 Entomological Society of America
Aurélie Veracx, Amina Boutellis, and Didier Raoult "Genetic Recombination Events between Sympatric Clade A and Clade C Lice in Africa," Journal of Medical Entomology 50(5), 1165-1168, (1 September 2013). https://doi.org/10.1603/ME13028
Received: 1 February 2013; Accepted: 1 June 2013; Published: 1 September 2013
JOURNAL ARTICLE
4 PAGES

This article is only available to subscribers.
It is not available for individual sale.
+ SAVE TO MY LIBRARY

KEYWORDS
Africa
diversity
mitochondrial clade
Pediculus humanus
recombination
RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS
Get copyright permission
Back to Top