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Review
. 2002 Dec;8(12):1515-8.
doi: 10.3201/eid0812.020111.

Human pathogens in body and head lice

Affiliations
Review

Human pathogens in body and head lice

Pierre-Edouard Fournier et al. Emerg Infect Dis. 2002 Dec.

Abstract

Using polymerase chain reaction and sequencing, we investigated the prevalence of Rickettsia prowazekii, Bartonella quintana, and Borrelia recurrentis in 841 body lice collected from various countries. We detected R. prowazekii in body lice from Burundi in 1997 and in lice from Burundi and Rwanda in 2001; B. quintana infections of body lice were widespread. We did not detect B. recurrentis in any lice.

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