CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

Relevant evidence has shown that parasites processhost-related information using chemical, visual, tactile or auditory cues.However, the cues that are involved in the host-parasite interaction betweenhead lice and humans have not been identified yet. Head lice depend exclusivelyon the human scalp microenvironment which provides them refuge, food andoviposition sites. Transmission mainly occurs during periods of direct contactbetween hosts. In this work, we studied the effect of human scalp compounds onthe behavior of adult head lice. Filter paper segments were rubbed on volunteers?scalps and then placed in the experimental arena where adult head lice wereindividually tested. The movement of the insects was recorded for each arenausing the software EthoVision®. Average movement parameters were calculated forthe treatments in the bioassays such as total distance, velocity, frequencybetween zones and time in each zone of the arena. We found that scalp compoundsinduced head lice to decrease average locomotor activity and to remain arrestedon the treated paper. The effect of the ageing of human scalp samples in theresponse of head lice was not significant. When we analyzed the effect of thesex in the response of head lice to human scalp samples, males demonstratedmarginally significant differences. Our results showed for the first time theeffect of host compounds conditioning head lice behavior. We discuss the roleof these compounds in the dynamic of head lice infestation.

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