Study of archaeological nits/eggs of Pediculus humanus capitis by scanning electron microscopy

On head lice and social interaction in archaic Andean coastal populations

“…Rivera et al (2008), at the Camarones-15 site, found 98 operculated Pediculus capitis eggs and 265 non-operculated eggs. Arriaza et al (2008Arriaza et al ( , 2012aArriaza et al ( , 2012b) also reported three positive cases of pediculosis in ten preColumbian mummies of different periods from Arica and Iquique (northern Chile) and a heavily infested late agropastoral Chiribaya mummy (ca. 1280-960 years B.P.).…”

“…To complement this study and yet preserve precious material for subsequent molecular analyses, a subset of selected samples (9 lice and 37 nits) were further analyzed using environmental scanning electron microscopy (Zeiss, EVO-LS 10) to pursue ultrastructural analysis of the micromorphology of nits/eggs and adults of P. humanus capitis (Arriaza et al, 2012a). The samples were mounted on aluminum stubs without gold/palladium alloy coating and viewed under variable pressure mode (VP).…”

“…Although Zinsser and Ewing highlighted the potential of population-based studies, such potential went unexplored for decades. Recently, a series of case reports have been published, drawing on small, or single mummy samples (Araújo et al, 2000;Arriaza et al, 2012aArriaza et al, , 2012bRaoult et al, 2008;Rivera et al, 2008). Most studies were not quantitative, but were successful in painting a general picture of the arrival of head lice in the New World.…”

Scanning Electron Microscopic Study on the Head Lice Eggs Detected in Korean Children

“…When completely mature lice mate, a female louse may spawn about 56 eggs at a time. A female louse lays 3~10 eggs a day after mating and spawns 60~100 eggs over 4~5 weeks (Roberts, 2002;Arriaza et al, 2013). During spawning, a female louse secretes cement-like glue from a uterine gland at the abdomen tip called the gonopod in order to securely attach the eggs to hairs.…”

Mummies, Parasites, and Pathoecology in the Ancient Americas

“…One focus of investigations was on defining the distribution of parasites in the Americas (Araujo et al 2013(Araujo et al , 2015Reinhard and Pucu 2014;, with collaboration with colleagues in Peru and Chile to produce a series of papers (for review, see Araújo et al 2011). The pathoecological approach was introduced into the literature by a collection of papers relating to Andean mummy collections (Martinson et al 2003;Reinhard and Buikstra 2003;Reinhard and Urban 2003;Arriaza et al 2010Arriaza et al , 2013a. The approach was also applied to isolated mummies from other parts of the Americas Araujo 2015, 2016).…”