A Special Research Centre For Insects And Bugs Has Moved To Cambridge From London

Study of tiny creatures which can cause allergic health conditions like asthma.

Magnified images of lice which live on human skin. Live lice in a dish on a laboratory bench where they are being examined under microscopes in a laboratory of the Medical Entomology Centre at the University of Cambridge. Anglia TV reporter Greg Barnes explains that one in seven children in Britain will catch head lice and 20% of children have head lice worldwide. At the Centre, lice are studied along with fleas, bedbugs, asthma mites and scabies mites because they present a risk to human health and wellbeing. Dr John Maunder, director of the Centre, mentions typhus carried by lice and plague carried by fleas as theoretical risks but says these creatures are not a problem in Britain if kept under control. It should be possible to eradicate the human head louse if an efficient programme can be organised. Dr Maunder mentions the asthma mite, found in everybody’s carpets and bed, joking that we are never alone in this world. It should be possible to alter the environment in our homes to deter the creature which enjoys heat and humidity, to benefit the asthmatic patient. The researchers are even prepared to let the insects bite them in the interests of research, and Dr Mander demonstrates by allowing some clothing lice to feed from his hand, which will feel itchy tomorrow. Slides show more images of bugs which can cause problems in offices and factories for staff who become allergic to them. A final reminder of the asthma mite which shares our beds. This video was made to be shown in a news story on Anglia Television early evening news / magazine programme About Anglia.

Keywords

Health; Insects; Headlice; Fleas; Bedbugs; Mites; Asthma; Allergies; Medical research; Universities