Acute prurigo simplex in humans caused by pigeon lice

Abstract

Pigeon lice are insects that feed on feathers of these birds; their life cycle includes egg, nymph and adult and they may cause dermatoses in humans. Four persons of the same family, living in an urban area, presented with widespread intensely pruritic erythematous papules. A great number of lice were seen in their house, which moved from a nest of pigeons located on the condenser of the air-conditioning to the dormitory of one of the patients. Even in urban environments, dermatitis caused by parasites of birds is a possibility in cases of acute prurigo simplex. Pigeon lice are possible etiological agents of this kind of skin eruption, although they are often neglected, even by dermatologists.

Lesiones en la piel causadas por ácaros de palomas

“…Cuando estas entran en contacto estrecho con el ser humano, este tipo de parásitos tiene la capacidad de alimentarse del nuevo huésped. Las picaduras que produce suelen ser dolorosas y luego pruriginosas 2 .…”

The first record of ostrich feather louse (Struthiolipeurus struthionis) collected from farmed ostriches (Struthio camelus) in the United Arab Emirates

“…Ostrich lice may cause problems in humans, as has been observed in pigeon. Pigeon lice may cause dermatosis in humans, as evidenced by case reports of intensely pruritic erythematous papules in human patients [10].…”