Arrestant Effect of Human Scalp Compounds on Pediculus humanus capitis. Journal Medical Entomology

I ORTEGA-INSURRALDE; A.C. TOLOZA; P. GONZALEZ-AUDINO; M.I. PICOLLO

JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOC AMER

Lugar: Lanham; Año: 2016

0022-2585

Multiple evidence hasshown that parasites process host-related information using chemical, visual,tactile or auditory cues. However, the cues that take part in the host-parasiteinteraction between head lice and humans have not been identified yet. Head lice dependexclusively on the human scalp microenvironment which provides them withrefuge, food and oviposition sites. Transmission only occurs during periods ofdirect contact between hosts. In this work, westudied the effect of human scalp compounds on the behaviour of adult headlice. Filter paper segments  were rubbedon volunteers scalps during 30 seconds and then placed in the experimentalarena where adult head lice were individually tested. The movement of theinsects was recorded for each arena using the software EthoVision®. Averagemovement parameters were calculated for the treatments in the bioassays such astotal distance, velocity, frequency between zones and time in each zone of thearena. We found thatscalp compounds induced head lice to decrease average locomotor activity and toremain arrested on the treated paper. Our results showed for the first time the effect of host compoundsconditioning head lice behaviour. We discuss the role of these compounds in thedynamics of  head lice infestation.