RESPONSE OF HEADLICE PEDICULUS HUMANUS CAPITIS TO VOLATILES FROM HUMAN SCALP AND CHEMICAL IDENTIFICATION

PAOLA GONZALEZ AUDINO ; FEDERICO GABRIEL GALASSI; MARIA INES PICOLLO; ARIEL TOLOZA

Congreso; International society of chemical ecology; 2016

The head lice is an specific ectoparasite that mainly affects children of school age, in both developed and developing countries. It is well known that P. capitis prefer to infest some individulas above others. However, no studies have been performed towards the undestanding of the existence of susceptible and non-susceptible indviduals to head lice infestations. Susceptible individuals represent the main source of dispersion through head to head direct contact. In this work we adapted a T-shaped olfactometer to measure head lice walking activity in optimal conditions of light, temperatue and humidity according to our previous results. With this set up, we evaluated the response of headlice to volatiles from human scalp extracts obtained by rubbing filter paper on the heads surface. We found a significant attraction response for this volailes compared to controls. Volatile Organic Chemicals present in the human scalp extract were analysed by Solid phase microextraction -Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (SPME-CG-MS). The extracts both for bioassay and for chemical analyses were from the same volunteers.The results showed several alcohols, saturated and unsaturaded ketones, aldehydes and fatty and short chained acids.These results represent the basis for the study of chemical cues involved in human susceptibility to head lice.