Body lice and bed bug co-infestation in an emergency department patient, Ohio, USA

Pietri, Jose E.; Yax, Justin A.; Agany, Diing D.M.; Gnimpieba, Etienne Z.; Sheele, Johnathan M.

doi:10.1016/j.idcr.2020.e00696

Cited by 6 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…For instance, co-infestations of body lice and bed bugs have been reported in a patient in USA. No louse-borne bacteria were detected, although the author raised a question over the potential risk of bed bugs acquiring louse-borne pathogens and acting as a secondary vector under certain conditions [100].…”

Section: Medical Impact Of Bed Bugsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cimicids of Medical and Veterinary Importance

Hamlili

Bérenger

Parola

2023

Insects

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Members of the Cimicidae family are significant pests for mammals and birds, and they have attracted medical and veterinary interest. A number of recent studies have investigated bed bugs, due to their dramatic resurgence all over the world. Indeed, bed bugs are of significant public health and socioeconomic importance since they lead to financial burdens and dermatological complications and may have mental and psychological consequences. It is important to note that certain cimicids with a preference for specific hosts (birds and bats) use humans as an alternative host, and some cimicids have been reported to willingly feed on human blood. In addition, members of the Cimicidae family can lead to economic burdens and certain species are the vectors for pathogens responsible for diseases. Therefore, in this review, we aim to provide an update on the species within the Cimicidae family that have varying medical and veterinary impacts, including their distribution and their associated microorganisms. Various microbes have been documented in bed bugs and certain important pathogens have been experimentally documented to be passively transmitted by bed bugs, although no conclusive evidence has yet associated them with epidemiological outbreaks. Additionally, among the studied cimicids (bat bugs, chicken bugs, and swallow bugs), only the American swallow bug has been considered to be a vector of several arboviruses, although there is no proven evidence of transmission to humans or animals. Further studies are needed to elucidate the reason that certain species in the Cimicidae family cannot be biologically involved in transmission to humans or animals. Additional investigations are also required to better understand the roles of Cimicidae family members in the transmission of human pathogens in the field.

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Section: Medical Impact Of Bed Bugsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cimicids of Medical and Veterinary Importance

Hamlili

Bérenger

Parola

2023

Insects

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“…55 Indeed, co-infestation with both ectoparasites was recently documented in an individual from the United States. 56 Similarly, in jails in Rwanda, outbreaks of louse-borne trench fever are common. 57 It is in this setting that B. quintana was first detected in the tropical bed bug in 2011.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Case not Closed: Arguments for New Studies of the Interactions between Bed Bugs and Human Pathogens

Pietri

2020

The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

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Bed bugs (Cimex spp.) are common ectoparasites of humans. Their ubiquity across diverse human environments combined with their blood-feeding behavior creates an ideal interface for the transmission of pathogenic microbes. Despite this potential, the current dogma is that bed bugs are not vectors of any known infectious agents. However, this conclusion is based largely on the results of studies conducted before the advent of modern molecular biology and the resurgence of bed bugs on a global scale. More importantly, a small but compelling body of modern research suggesting that bed bugs can potentially vector some human pathogens exists but is often overlooked. This article critically examines the current classification of the bed bug as an insect that does not transmit disease agents. In doing so, it highlights key knowledge gaps that still exist in understanding the potential of bed bugs as pathogen vectors and outlines several arguments for why new research on the topic is necessary.

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