Lice are socially-transmitted ectoparasites. Transmission depends upon their host's degree of contact with conspecifics. While grooming facilitates ectoparasite transmission via body contact, it also constrains their spread through parasite removal. We investigated relations between parasite burden and sociality in female Japanese macaques following two opposing predictions: i) central females ...

BACKGROUND Although there are about 520 species of birds in Iran, but only some of them have been checked for ectoparasites so far.The aim of this study was to check some more available species of the birds of Iran for lice. METHODS This study was performed between 2008-2010 in northern Iran. For this purpose we tried to check some of the wild bird species available and mostly not checked bef...

The lice (Insecta: Phthiraptera) are permanent obligatory ectoparasite of a diverse selection of birds and mammals with a worldwide distribution. This study provides information on the lice species most commonly associated with peacock in Sistan, southeast Iran. There is no previous described study on lice infestation of peacock in Iran. For this aim, Peacock were examined carefully for chewing...

Essential oils have been widely used in traditional medicine for the eradication of lice, including head lice, but due to the variability of their constitution the effects may not be reproducible. In an attempt to assess the contribution of their component monoterpenoids, a range of common individual compounds were tested in in vitro toxicity model against both human lice (Pediculus humanus, an...

Chemical, physical, and mechanical methods are used to control human lice. Attempts have been made to eradicate head lice Pediculus humanus capitis by hot air, soaking in various fluids or asphyxiation using occlusive treatments. In this study, we assessed the maximum time that head lice can survive anoxia (oxygen deprivation) and their ability to survive prolonged water immersion. We also obse...

Background: Head lice is one of the threats to public health in advanced and developing societies. In previous studies in Kerman Province, the rate of head lice infection was reported to be 3.8%. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of head lice infection among female students of elementary schools of Kerman, and to identify the factors involved. Methods: This study was a desc...

A phylogeny for the lice (Insecta: Phthiraptera: genus Dennyus) parasitic on swiftlets (Aves: Collocalliinae) was constructed based on mitochondrial cytochrome b DNA sequences. This phylogeny is congruent with previous phenetic analyses of morphometric data for the lice. Comparison with a previously obtained phylogeny for the hosts indicates some degree of cospeciation. These cospeciation event...

UNLABELLED Roughly 10% to 15% of insect species host heritable symbiotic bacteria known as endosymbionts. The lice parasitizing mammals rely on endosymbionts to provide essential vitamins absent in their blood meals. Here, we describe two bacterial associates from a louse, Proechinophthirus fluctus, which is an obligate ectoparasite of a marine mammal. One of these is a heritable endosymbiont t...