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Amazonian head lice-specific genotypes are putatively pre-Columbian.

ABSTRACT: Head and body lice are strict obligate human ectoparasites with three mitochondrial phylotypes (A, B, and C). Using molecular methods for genotyping lice (Cytochrome b and multi-spacer typing), and comparing our results with all the sequences of human lice that were genotyped previously, we assessed the presence of a specific American genotype that most likely predates the Columbian era in head lice collected from Amazonia.

SUBMITTER: Boutellis A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3752820 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Amazonian head lice-specific genotypes are putatively pre-Columbian.

Boutellis Amina A Veracx Aurélie A Abrahão Jônatas J Raoult Didier D

The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene 20130422 6

Head and body lice are strict obligate human ectoparasites with three mitochondrial phylotypes (A, B, and C). Using molecular methods for genotyping lice (Cytochrome b and multi-spacer typing), and comparing our results with all the sequences of human lice that were genotyped previously, we assessed the presence of a specific American genotype that most likely predates the Columbian era in head lice collected from Amazonia. ...[more]

PMID: 23610158

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