Molecular study of head lice among primary school children in Kirkuk province – Iraq

Head lice are a type of external parasitic insect belonging to the order Phthriaptera. These insects are characterized by their small size and flattened shape. Head lice do not have simple eyes, but the eyes are reduced or completely absent. They also have piercing-sucking mouthparts. These insects live on mammals and feed on their blood, potentially transmitting diseases to humans. Samples were taken from different areas in Kirkuk Governorate. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed on five DNA samples extracted from head lice parasites to detect the presence of the COX1 gene using primers designed for this purpose. Agarose gel electrophoresis of the PCR products showed the appearance of bands of 720 base pairs in all amplified samples, representing 100% of the studied samples.