{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,9]],"date-time":"2026-01-09T01:25:13Z","timestamp":1767921913194,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":18,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2017,5,22]],"date-time":"2017-05-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1495411200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["TropicalMed"],"abstract":"<jats:p>We performed head lice movement studies to elucidate factors influencing orientation and movement of head lice. Studies included observation of lice movements on hand and forearm at different positions of the upper limb; movements exposed to unshaved and shaved forearm; and movements with and without antennae. In 57 of 60 (95.0%) observations while holding the hand down, lice moved proximal, and 3 (5%) distal. While holding the hand up, 37\/60 (61.7%) moved proximal, and 23 (38.3%) distal (p &lt; 0.0001). On the unshaved limb, 29\/30 (96.7%) moved proximal, with clockwise movements in 26\/30 (86.7%). After shaving, 9\/30 (30%) walked proximal and 18 (60%) distal, with 12\/30 (40%) clockwise movements. After antennectomy, while holding the hand up, 16\/25 (64%) lice did not move, 1 (4%) walked proximal, and 8 (32%) distal. While handing the hand down, 17\/25 (68%) did not move, 5 (20%) walked proximal, and 3 (12%) distal. Transmission of head lice may not only occur by head-to-head contact, but also via head-to-body contact, with movement to the head against gravitational pull. Surface factors of hand and forearm may be important in orientation for lice, in addition to gravity. Movement of lice against gravity is not governed by organs in the antennae.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/tropicalmed2020011","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2017,5,23]],"date-time":"2017-05-23T01:47:33Z","timestamp":1495504053000},"page":"11","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["Orientation of Head Lice on Human Hosts, and Consequences for Transmission of Pediculosis: The Head Lice Movement Studies"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"2","author":[{"given":"Jorg","family":"Heukelbach","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Community Health, School of Medicine, Federal University of Cear\u00e1, Fortaleza CE 60430-140, Brazil"},{"name":"College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, Division of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Andr\u00e9","family":"Asenov","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Hygiene and Microbiology, Charit\u00e9 Medical School, Campus Benjamin Franklin, D-10117 Berlin, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Fab\u00edola","family":"Ara\u00fajo Oliveira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Community Health, School of Medicine, Federal University of Cear\u00e1, Fortaleza CE 60430-140, Brazil"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Iana","family":"Ara\u00fajo de Melo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Community Health, School of Medicine, Federal University of Cear\u00e1, Fortaleza CE 60430-140, Brazil"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"J\u00e9ssica","family":"Dos Santos Queiroz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Community Health, School of Medicine, Federal University of Cear\u00e1, Fortaleza CE 60430-140, Brazil"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Rick","family":"Speare","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Uade","family":"Ugbomoiko","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Parasitology unit, Department of Zoology University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2017,5,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"889","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(04)15738-3","article-title":"Ectoparasites\u2014The underestimated realm","volume":"363","author":"Heukelbach","year":"2004","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"80","DOI":"10.1017\/S0031182000003747","article-title":"The biology of Pediculus humanus","volume":"10","author":"Nuttall","year":"1917","journal-title":"Parasitology"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"186","DOI":"10.1017\/S0031182000003759","article-title":"Notes on head- and body-lice and upon temperature reactions of lice and mosquitoes","volume":"10","author":"Howlett","year":"1917","journal-title":"Parasitology"},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"85","DOI":"10.1017\/S0031182000010854","article-title":"Studies on populations of head lice (Pediculus humanus capitis, Anoplura)","volume":"30","author":"Buxton","year":"1938","journal-title":"Parasitology"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Lloyd, L. 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