Cellular & Molecular Research Center, Cellular and Molecular Medicine Research Institute, Urmia University of Medical Sciences (UMSU), P. O. Box: 5756115198, Urmia, Iran.
Department of Vector Biology and Control of Diseases, School of Public Health, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
BMC Res Notes. 2024 Oct 25;17(1):323. doi: 10.1186/s13104-024-06940-3.
Head lice infestations are the most prominent ectoparasitic infection in the world, including Iran, particularly among school children. Recently, numerous cases of infestation have been reported in various provinces of the country. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of head louse infestations and analyze kdr gene sequences in terms of resistance mutations in the Torbat-e Heydarieh, Mahvelat, and Zaveh cities of Khorasan Razavi Province, Northeast Iran. The data related to the epidemiological and demographic history of head lice populations were extracted from their medical records and analyzed in Excel software. After extracting the genomic DNA, the kdr fragment was amplified using specific primers. The sequences were also analyzed using bioinformatics software. The prevalence of head louse infestations was 1.59% and 1.7% during 2016 and 2017, respectively. Sequence analysis revealed the frequency distribution of two kdr haplotypes, I and V, in the study areas. The increase in head louse infestations in recent years and the simultaneous presence of kdr mutations indicate the need for new treatments and monitoring/controlling resistance to head louse insecticides.
头虱感染是世界上最突出的外寄生虫感染，包括伊朗，特别是在学童中。最近，该国许多省份都报告了大量感染病例。本研究旨在调查霍拉桑拉扎维省托巴特-海达里耶、马韦拉特和扎韦赫市的头虱感染流行率，并分析 kdr 基因序列中抵抗突变的情况。从他们的病历中提取了与头虱种群的流行病学和人口统计学历史有关的数据，并在 Excel 软件中进行了分析。提取基因组 DNA 后，使用特异性引物扩增 kdr 片段。还使用生物信息学软件对序列进行了分析。2016 年和 2017 年，头虱感染的流行率分别为 1.59%和 1.7%。序列分析显示，在所研究地区存在两种 kdr 单倍型 I 和 V 的频率分布。近年来头虱感染的增加和 kdr 突变的同时存在表明需要新的治疗方法和监测/控制对头虱杀虫剂的抗性。
