Avoiding Extinction by Migration: the Case of the Head Louse
نویسندگان
چکیده
The possibility of spreading by migration, colonizing new spatial domains suitable for development and reproduction, can substantially relieve a biological population from the risk of extinction. By means of a realistic computational model based on empirical data, we study this phenomenon for the human head louse, Pediculus humanus capitis. In particular, we show that a lice colony infesting a single isolated host is prone to extinction by stochastic population fluctuations within an interval of several months, while migration over a relatively small group of hosts in contact with each other is enough to insure the prevalence of the infestation for indefinitely long periods. We characterize the interplay of the size of the host group with the host–to–host contagion probability, which controls a transition between extinction of the lice population and a situation where the infestation is endemic.
منابع مشابه
Prevalence and Risk Factors Associated with Head Louse (Pediculus humanus capitis) in Central Iran
Background Recognition of head lice prevalence and related risk factors contributing in spreading the disease is a step forward to the control of this important health problem. This survey was done to determine prevalence and risk factors associated with head louse (Pediculus Humanus Capitis) in Central Iran. Materials and Methods In this descriptive–analytic study, a total of 38,237 suspected...
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Lice are small, wingless, minor ectoparasites of mammals and birds. More than 540 blood-sucking lice (Phthiraptera: Anoplura) have been described with each host having its own type of louse, suggesting the cospeciation of the lice species with their host. Among these, two lice species from two different genera infest humans: Pediculus humanus and Phthirus pubis (pubic “crab” l...
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Introduction and purpose: Currently, head louse is one of the sanitary problems in schools that results in physical, mental, and social problems in students. In this regard, the present study was conducted for the epidemiologic examination of head louse among the female students of the primary schools in Tonekabon, Iran, in 2017-2018. Methods: The present descriptive-analytical cross-sectional...
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متن کاملبررسی اپیدمیولوژی شپش سر و فاکتورهای مؤثر بر آن در دانشآموزان مقطع ابتدایی شهرستان املش، استان گیلان سال 1383 - 1382
Background & Objectives: Pediculosis is a ubiquitous and contagious parasitic dermatosis. Throughout the world, infestation by the head louse (Pediculus humanus capitis) is more common among schoolchildren, especially in those aged 6-11 years. This descriptive/analytical study was carried out in 2003 to determine the prevalence of pediculosis capitis and risk factors involved in the epidemiolo...
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ورودعنوان ژورنال:
- Advances in Complex Systems
دوره 18 شماره
صفحات -
تاریخ انتشار 2015