| Title | Homeless: a high risk group for ectoparasites infestation and arthropod-borne diseases | |
| Authors | Fotoula Babatsikou1 and Assimina Zavitsanou2
1. Department of Nursing and 2. Laboratory of Medical Entomology-Zoology, Department of Public Hygiene, Technological Educational Instituteion (TEI) of Athens, Hellas |
|
| Citation | Babatsikou, F., Zavitsanou, A.: Homeless: a high risk group for ectoparasites infestation and arthropod-borne diseases, Epitheorese Klin. Farmakol. Farmakokinet. 23(2): 93-98 (2009) | |
| Publication Date | Accepted for publication (Final Version): July 1, 2009 | |
| Full Text Language | English | |
| Order – Buy | Ηλεκτρονική Μορφή: pdf (10 €) – Digital Type: pdf (10 €)
pharmakonpress[at]pharmakonpress[.]gr |
|
| Keywords | Arthropod borne diseases, ectoparasites, homeless. | |
| Other Terms | review article | |
| Summary | Introduction: Homeless people are at great risk for certain infectious diseases, as a result of their lifestyle and of other social factors. These diseases include several arthropod borne diseases, and it is well established that homeless people are particularly exposed to ectoparasites. The living conditions of this particular group, along with their limited access to health care services facilitate the spread of lice, fleas, ticks and mites. Methods: The medical literature was reviewed in order to present in detail the various ectoparasites that homeless people are exposed; moreover, the related arthropod-borne diseases that affect this specific risk group are being discussed. Results: Three species of louse have been shown to affect humans including Pediculus humanus capitis (head lice), Pediculus humanus humanus (body lice), and Phthirus pubis (public or crab louse). Among the above species, the body louse is the major concern for homeless people and the louse-borne diseases that this population is exposed are trench fever, relapsing fever and epidemic typhus. Several seroepidemiological studies conducted on the homeless report high prevalence rates of Bartonella quintana, the etiologic agent of trench fever. In addition, although no outbreaks of epidemic typhus have been reported so far in the homeless, there is evidence that the disease may occur. Although very few data are available in the international literature concerning the occurrence of relapsing fever in these populations, a small disease outbreak has been reported among homeless in France in 2002. Another ectoparasite affecting this high risk group is Sarcoptes scabiei var humanus, a mite that causes scabies. Scabies is more prevalent in the homeless than in the general population and are not potential vectors for infectious agents. Additionally, several studies show serological evidence of Bartonella henselae among homeless populations, a bacterium transmitted through the cat fleas. On the other hand, very few data are available on either tick borne diseases or tick infestation among homeless. Conclusions-Discussion: The major arthropod borne disease among homeless is trench fever, although there is evidence of transmission of other arthropod borne diseases. Implementation of public health interventions among homeless populations is a crucial step for diminishing the risk of arthropod borne diseases either in this high risk group or in the community. | |
| References | 1. Burt M.R., Aron L.Y.: Helping America’s homeless. Washington Urban Institute, 2001
2. Monsuez J.J., Fergetot H., Papon B.J., Le G.R.: Early social intervention in the emergency department. Eur. J. Med. 2: 489-492 (1993) 3. Raoult D., Foucault C., Brouqui P.: Infections in the homeless. Lancet Infect. Dis. 1: 77-84 (2001) 4. Phelan J.C., Link B.G.: Who are the ‘homeless’? Reconsidering the stability and composition of the homeless population. Am. J. Publ. Health 89: 1334-1338. (1999) 5. Segal S.P., Gomory T., Silverman C.J.: Health status of homeless and marginally house users of mental health self help agencies. Health Soc. Work 23: 45-52 (1998) 6. Brouqui P., Lascola B., Roux V., Raoult D.: Chronic Bartonella quintana bacteremia in homeless patients. N. Engl. J. Med. 340: 184-189 (1999) 7. Brouqui P., Stein A., Dupont H.T, Gallian P., Badiaga S., Rolain J.M., et al.: Ectoparasitism and vector-borne diseases in 930 homeless people from Marseilles. Medicine (Baltimore) 84: 61-68 (2005) 8. Hwang S.W.: Homelessness and health. CMAJ 164: 229-233 (2001) 9. Durden L.A.: Biting and sucking lice. In: Meyer RP, Madon MB, editors. Arthropods of public health significance in California. Sacramento (CA): MVCAC 37-44 (2002) 10. Chosidow O., Chastang B., Bouvet E., et al.: Controlled study of malathion and D-phenothrin lotions for Pediculus humanus var capitis-infested schoolchildren. Lancet 344:1724-1727 (1994) 11. Chosidow O.: Scabies and pediculosis. Lancet 355: 819-826 (2000) 12. Mimouni D., Ankol O.E, Gdalevich M., Grotto I., Davidovitch N., Zangvil E.: Seasonality trends of Pediculosis capitis and Phthirus pubis in a young adult population: follow up of 20 years. J. Eur. Acad. Dermatol. Venereol. 16: 257-259 (2002) 13. Angel T.A., Nigro J., Levy M.L.: Infestations in the pediatric patient. Ped. Clin. North Am. 47: 921-935 (2000) 14. Badiaga S., Menard A., Tissot Dupont H., Ravaux I., Chouquet D., et al.: Prevalence of skin infections in sheltered homeless. Eur. J. Dermatol. 15: 382-386 (2005) 15. Arfi C., Dehen L., Benassaia E., Faure P., Farge D., Morel P., et al.: Dermatologic consultations in a precarious situation: a prospective medical and social study at the Hospital of Saint-Louis in Paris. Ann. Dermatol. Venereol. 126: 682-686 (1999) 16. Rydkina E.B., Roux V, Gagua E.M., Predtechenski A.B., Tarasevitch I.V., Raoult D.: Bartonella quintana in body lice collected from homeless persons in Russia. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 5: 176-178 (1999) 17. Seki N., Sasaki T., Sawabe K., Sasaki T., Matsuoka M., Arakawa Y., et al.: Epidemiological studies on Bartonella quintana infections among homeless people in Tokyo, Japan. Jpn. J. Infect. Dis. 59: 31-35 (2006) 18. Evans F.C., Smith F.E.: The intrinsic rate of natural increase for the human louse Pediculus humanus L. Am. Nat. 86: 299-310 (1952) 19. Raoult D., Roux V.: The body louse as a vector of reemerging human diseases. Clin. Infect. Dis. 29: 888-911 (1999) 20. Brouqui P., Raoult D.: Arthropod-borne diseases in homeless. Ann. NY Acad. Sci. 1078: 223-235 (2006) 21. Ko C.J, Elston D.M.: Pediculosis. J. Am. Acad. Dermatol. 50: 1-12 (2004) 22. Meinking T.L., Taplin D.: In: Elsner P, Eichmann A, editors. Infestations: pediculosis in sexually transmitted diseases: advances in diagnosis and treatment. Karger: Basel p.157, 1996 23. Maurin M., Raoult D.: Bartonella (Rochalimaea) quintana infections. Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 9: 273-292 (1996) 24. McNee J.W., Renshaw A., Brunt E.H.: Trench fever: a relapsing fever occurring with the British forces in France. Br. Med. J. 12: 225-234 (1916) 25. Rolain J.M., Franc M., Davoust B., Raoult D.: Molecular detection of Bartonella quintana, B. koehlarae, B. henselae, B. clarridgeiae, Rickettsia felis, and Wolbachia pipientis in cat fleas, France. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 9: 338-342 (2003) 26. Marie J.L., Fournier P.E., Rolain J.M., Briolant S., Davoust B., Raoult D.: Molecular detection of Bartonella quintana, B. elizabethae B. koehlarae, B. doshiae, B. taylorii and Rickettsia felis in rodent fleas collected in Kabul, Afghanistan. Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 74: 436-439 (2006) 27. Drancourt M., Mainardi J.L., Brouqui P., Vandenesch F., Carta A, Lehnert F.: Bartonella (Rochalimaea) Quintana endocarditis in 3 homeless men. N. Engl. J. Med. 332: 419-423 (1995) 28. Anderson B.E., Neuman M.A.: Bartonella spp. As emerging human pathogens. Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 10: 203-219 (1997) 29. Guibal F., de La Salmoniere P., Rybojad M., Hadjrabia S., Dehen L., Arlet G.: High seroprevalence to Bartonella quintana in homeless patients with cutaneous parasitic infestations in downtown Paris. J. Am. Acad. Dermatol. 44: 219-223. (2001) 30. Jackson L.A, Spach D.H., Kippen D.A., Sugg N.K., Regnery R.L., Sayers M.H., et al.: Seroprevalence to Bartonella quintana among patients at a community clinic in downtown Seattle. J. Infect. Dis. 173: 1023-1026 (1996) 31. Smith H.M., Reporter R., Rood M.P., Linscott A.J., Mascola L.M., Hogrefe W., et al.: Prevalence study of antibody to ratborne pathogens and other agents among patients using a free clinic in downtown Los Angeles. J. Infect. Dis. 186: 1673-1676 (2002) 32. Comer J.A., Flynn C., Regnery R.L., Vlahov D., Childs J.E.: Antibodies to Bartonella species in inner-city intravenous drug users in Baltimore. Arch. Intern. Med. 156: 2491-2495 (1996) 33. Hwang S.W., Orav E.J., O’Connell J.J., Lebow J.M., Brennan T.A.: Causes of death in homeless adults in Boston. Ann. Inten. Med. 126: 625-628 (1997) 34. Badiaga S., Brouqui P., Raoult D.: Autochthonous epidemic typhus associated with Bartonella quintana bacteremia in a homeless person. Am. J. Trop. Med. 72: 638-639 (2005) 35. Niang M., Brouqui .P, Raoult D.: Epidemic typhus imported from Algeria. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 5: 716-718 (1999) 36. Stein A., Purgus R., Olmer M., Raoult D.: Brill-Zinsser disease in France. Lancet 353: 1936 (1999) 37. Reeves W.K., Murray K.O., Meyer T.E., Bull L.M., Pascua R.F., Holmes K.C., et al.: Serological evidence of typhus group rickettsia in a homeless population in Houston, Texas. J. Vect. Ecol. 33: 205-207 (2008) 38. Orion E., Marcos B., Davidovici B., Wolf R.: Itch and scratch: scabies and pediculosis. Clinics in Dermatol. 24: 168-175 (2006) 39. Burkhart C.G., Burkhart C.N., Burkhart K.M.: An epidemiologic and therapeutic reassessment of scabies. Cutis 65: 233-240 (2000) 40. Orion E., Matz H., Wolf R.: Sexually transmitted diseases: scabies and pediculosis. Clinics in Dermatol. 22: 513-519 (2004) 41. Christophersen J.: The epidemiology of scabies in Denmark, 1900 to 1975. Arch. Dermatol. 114: 747-50 (1978) 42. Kimchi N., Green M.S., Stone D.: Epidemiologic characteristics of scabies in Israel Defense Force. Int. J. Dermatol. 28: 180-182 (1989) 43. Downs A.M., Harvey I., Kennedy CT.: The epidemiology of head lice and scabies in the UK. Epidemiol. Infect. 122: 471-477 (1999) 44. Huebner R.J., Jellison W.L., Pomerantz C.: Richettsialpox- a newly recognized rickettsial disease. IV isolation of a rickettsia apparently identical with the causative agent of rickettsialpox from Allodermanyssus sanguineus a rodent mite. Public Health Rep. 61: 1677-1682 (1946) 45. Comer J.A., Tzianavos T., Flynn C., Vlahov D., Childs J.E.: Serologic evidence of Rickettsialpox (Rickettsia Akari) infection among intravenous drug users in inner city Baltimore, Maryland. Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 60: 894-898 (1999) 46. Raoult D., Drancourt M., Carta A., Gastant J.A.: Bartonella (Rochalimaea) quintana isolation in patient with chronic adenopathy, lymphopenia and a cat. Lancet 343: 977 (1994) 47. Ehrenborg C., Byström R., Hjelm E., Friman G., Holmberg M.: High Bartonella spp seroprevalence in a Swedish homeless population but no evidence for trench fever. Scand. J. Infect. Dis. 40: 208-215 (2008) 48. Chmielewski T., Podsiadły E., Tylewska-Wierzbanowska S.: Presense of Bartonella spp in various human populations. Pol. J. Microbiol. 56: 33-38 (2007) 49. Civen R., Ngo V.: Murine typhus: an unrecognized suburban vector borne disease. Clin. Infect. Dis. 46: 913- 918 (2008) 50. Parola P., Davoust B., Raoult D.: Tick- and flea-borne rickettsial emerging zoonoses. Vet. Res. 36:469-492 (2005) 51. Raoult D., Weiller P.J., Chagnon A., Chaudet H., Gallais H., Casanova P.: Mediterranean spotted fever: clinical, laboratory and epidemiological features of 199 cases. Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 35: 845-850 (1986) 52. Hemmersbach-Miller M., Parola P., Raoult D., Brouqui P.: A homeless man with maculopapular rash who died in Marseille, France. Clin. Infect. Dis. 38: 1493-1494 (2004) 53. Berger B.W., Johnson R.C., Kodner C., Coleman L.: Cultivation of Borrelia burgdoferi from human tick bite sites: a guide to the risk of infection. J. Am. Acad. Dermatol. 32: 184-187 (1995) 54. Piesman J., Mather T.N., Sinky R.J., Spielman A.: Duration of tick attachment and Borrelia burgdoferi transmission. J. Clin. Microbiol. 25: 557-558 (1987) |
|
| Relative Papers |
Online ISSN 1011-6575
Άρθρα Δημοσιευμένα σε αυτό το Περιοδικό Καταχωρούνται στα:
- Chemical Abstracts
- Elsevier’s Bibliographic Databases: Scopus, EMBASE, EMBiology, Elsevier BIOBASE SCImago Journal and Country Rank Factor
Articles published in this Journal are Indexed or Abstracted in: • Chemical Abstracts • Elsevier’s Bibliographic Databases: Scopus, EMBASE, EMBiology, Elsevier BIOBASE SCImago Journal and Country Rank Factor
Συντακτικη Επιτροπή-Editorial Board
| ΕΤΗΣΙΑ ΣΥΝΔΡΟΜΗ 2009 – ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION 2009 | |
| Γλώσσα Πλήρους Κειμένου – Full Text Language | Αγγλικά – English |
| Παραγγελία – Αγορά – Order – Buy | Ηλεκτρονική Μορφή: pdf (70 €) – Digital Type: pdf (70 €)
pharmakonpress[at]pharmakonpress[.]gr |
| Έντυπη Μορφή (70 € + έξοδα αποστολής) – Printed Type (70 € + shipping)
pharmakonpress[at]pharmakonpress[.]gr |
|