Vector-borne Diseases
Explore our science related to: Vector-borne Diseases
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Vector-borne Disease Research
Lyme disease is the most prevalent vector-borne disease in North America, with about 300,000 cases per year in the U.S. We are studying transmission of the spirochete that causes this disease among wild animals and the blacklegged tick vectors, to determine why Lyme disease is common in the northeast and northern Midwest but rare in the south, even though blacklegged ticks are present in all of...
Environmental Management of Vector-borne Diseases
Effective management programs for vector-borne pathogens, such as West Nile Virus and the Lyme disease spirochete, are necessary to protect public health. However, some vector control methods, such as landscape manipulations and pesticide applications, can also adversely affect nontarget species and environmentally sensitive natural systems. Efficient targeting and integration of vector control...
Related
Potential effects of climate change on tick-borne diseases in Rhode Island Potential effects of climate change on tick-borne diseases in Rhode Island
Human cases of tick-borne diseases have been increasing in the United States. In particular, the incidence of Lyme disease, the major vector-borne disease in Rhode Island, has risen, along with cases of babesiosis and anaplasmosis, all vectored by the blacklegged tick. These increases might relate, in part, to climate change, although other environmental changes in the northeast (land...
Authors
Howard Ginsberg, Jannelle Couret, Jason Garrett, Thomas N. Mather, Roger A. LeBrun
Selective host attachment by Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae): Tick-lizard associations in the southeastern United States Selective host attachment by Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae): Tick-lizard associations in the southeastern United States
Questing behavior and host associations of immature blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis Say, from the southeastern United States are known to differ from those in the north. To elucidate these relationships we describe host associations of larval and nymphal I. scapularis from 8 lizard species sampled from 5 sites in the southeastern U.S. Larvae and nymphs attached in greater numbers to...
Authors
Howard Ginsberg, Graham J. Hickling, Genevieve Pang, Jean I. Tsao, Meghan Fitzgerald, Breann Ross, Eric L. Rulison, Russell L. Burke
Why Lyme disease is common in the northern US, but rare in the south: The roles of host choice, host-seeking behavior, and tick density Why Lyme disease is common in the northern US, but rare in the south: The roles of host choice, host-seeking behavior, and tick density
Lyme disease is common in the northeastern United States, but rare in the southeast, even though the tick vector is found in both regions. Infection prevalence of Lyme spirochetes in host-seeking ticks, an important component to the risk of Lyme disease, is also high in the northeast and northern midwest, but declines sharply in the south. As ticks must acquire Lyme spirochetes from...
Authors
Howard Ginsberg, Graham J. Hickling, Russell L. Burke, Nicholas H. Ogden, Lorenza Beati, Roger A. LeBrun, Isis M. Arsnoe, Rick Gerhold, Seungeun Han, Kaetlyn Jackson, Lauren Maestas, Teresa Moody, Genevieve Pang, Breann Ross, Eric L. Rulison, Jean I. Tsao
Possible effects of climate change on ixodid ticks and the pathogens they transmit: Predictions and observations Possible effects of climate change on ixodid ticks and the pathogens they transmit: Predictions and observations
The global climate has been changing over the last century due to greenhouse gas emissions and will continue to change over this century, accelerating without effective global efforts to reduce emissions. Ticks and tick-borne diseases (TTBDs) are inherently climate-sensitive due to the sensitivity of tick lifecycles to climate. Key direct climate and weather sensitivities include...
Authors
Nicholas H. Ogden, Charles B. Beard, Howard S. Ginsberg, Jean I. Tsao
Seasonality of acarological risk of exposure to Borrelia miyamotoi from questing life stages of Ixodes scapularis collected from Wisconsin and Massachusetts, USA Seasonality of acarological risk of exposure to Borrelia miyamotoi from questing life stages of Ixodes scapularis collected from Wisconsin and Massachusetts, USA
Measures of acarological risk of exposure to Ixodes scapularis-borne disease agents typically focus on nymphs; however, the relapsing fever group spirochete, Borrelia miyamotoi can be transmitted transovarially, and I. scapularis larvae are capable of transmitting B. miyamotoi to their hosts. To quantify the larval contribution to acarological risk, relative to nymphs and adults, we...
Authors
Seungeun Han, Graham J. Hickling, Nicholas H. Ogden, Howard S. Ginsberg, Vishvapali Kobbekaduwa, Eric L. Rulison, Lorenza Beati, Jean I. Tsao
Spatiotemporal modeling of dengue fever risk in Puerto Rico Spatiotemporal modeling of dengue fever risk in Puerto Rico
Dengue Fever (DF) is a mosquito vector transmitted flavivirus and a reemerging global public health threat. Although several studies have addressed the relation between climatic and environmental factors and the epidemiology of DF, or looked at purely spatial or time series analysis, this article presents a joint spatio-temporal epidemiological analysis. Our approach accounts for both...
Authors
Gavino Puggioni, Jannelle Couret, Emily Serman, Ali S Akanda, Howard S. Ginsberg
Biological control of Aedes mosquito larvae with carnivorous aquatic plant, Utricularia macrorhiza Biological control of Aedes mosquito larvae with carnivorous aquatic plant, Utricularia macrorhiza
Background Biological controls with predators of larval mosquito vectors have historically focused almost exclusively on insectivorous animals, with few studies examining predatory plants as potential larvacidal agents. In this study, we experimentally evaluate a generalist plant predator of North America, Utricularia macrorhiza, the common bladderwort, and evaluate its larvacidal...
Authors
Jannelle Couret, Marco Notarangelo, Sarashwathi Veera, Noah LeClaire-Conway, Howard S. Ginsberg, Roger A. LeBrun
Prioritizing water security in the management of vector borne diseases: Lessons from Oaxaca, Mexico Prioritizing water security in the management of vector borne diseases: Lessons from Oaxaca, Mexico
Changes in human water use, along with temperature and rainfall patterns, are facilitating habitat spread and distribution of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, the primary vectors for the transmission of Dengue, Chikungunya, and Zika viruses in the Americas. Artificial containers and wetspots provide major sources of mosquito larval habitat in residential areas. Mosquito...
Authors
Ali S Akanda, Kristine D. Johnson, Howard S. Ginsberg, Janelle Couret
Local abundance of Ixodes scapularis in forests: Effects of environmental moisture, vegetation characteristics, and host abundance Local abundance of Ixodes scapularis in forests: Effects of environmental moisture, vegetation characteristics, and host abundance
Ixodes scapularis is the primary vector of Lyme disease spirochetes in eastern and central North America, and local densities of this tick can affect human disease risk. We sampled larvae and nymphs from sites in Massachusetts and Wisconsin, USA, using flag/drag devices and by collecting ticks from hosts, and measured environmental variables to evaluate the environmental factors that...
Authors
Howard S. Ginsberg, Eric L. Rulison, Jasmine L. Miller, Genevieve Pang, Isis M. Arsnoe, Graham J. Hickling, Nicholas H. Ogden, Roger A. LeBrun, Jean I. Tsao
Nonlinearities in transmission dynamics and efficient management of vector-borne pathogens Nonlinearities in transmission dynamics and efficient management of vector-borne pathogens
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an approach to minimizing economic and environmental harm caused by pests, and Integrated Vector Management (IVM) uses similar methods to minimize pathogen transmission by vectors. The risk of acquiring a vector-borne infection is often quantified using the density of infected vectors. The relationship between vector numbers and risk of human infection...
Authors
Howard S. Ginsberg, Jannelle Couret
Highly variable acquisition rates of Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) by birds on an Atlantic barrier island Highly variable acquisition rates of Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) by birds on an Atlantic barrier island
Acquisition of ticks by bird hosts is a central process in the transmission cycles of many tick-borne zoonoses, but tick recruitment by birds has received little direct study. We documented acquisition of Ixodes scapularis Say on birds at Fire Island, NY, by removing ticks from mist-netted birds, and recording the number of ticks on birds recaptured within 4 d of release. Eight bird...
Authors
S. S. Mitra, P. A. Buckley, F. G. Buckley, H. S. Ginsberg
Related
Potential effects of climate change on tick-borne diseases in Rhode Island Potential effects of climate change on tick-borne diseases in Rhode Island
Human cases of tick-borne diseases have been increasing in the United States. In particular, the incidence of Lyme disease, the major vector-borne disease in Rhode Island, has risen, along with cases of babesiosis and anaplasmosis, all vectored by the blacklegged tick. These increases might relate, in part, to climate change, although other environmental changes in the northeast (land...
Authors
Howard Ginsberg, Jannelle Couret, Jason Garrett, Thomas N. Mather, Roger A. LeBrun
Selective host attachment by Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae): Tick-lizard associations in the southeastern United States Selective host attachment by Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae): Tick-lizard associations in the southeastern United States
Questing behavior and host associations of immature blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis Say, from the southeastern United States are known to differ from those in the north. To elucidate these relationships we describe host associations of larval and nymphal I. scapularis from 8 lizard species sampled from 5 sites in the southeastern U.S. Larvae and nymphs attached in greater numbers to...
Authors
Howard Ginsberg, Graham J. Hickling, Genevieve Pang, Jean I. Tsao, Meghan Fitzgerald, Breann Ross, Eric L. Rulison, Russell L. Burke
Why Lyme disease is common in the northern US, but rare in the south: The roles of host choice, host-seeking behavior, and tick density Why Lyme disease is common in the northern US, but rare in the south: The roles of host choice, host-seeking behavior, and tick density
Lyme disease is common in the northeastern United States, but rare in the southeast, even though the tick vector is found in both regions. Infection prevalence of Lyme spirochetes in host-seeking ticks, an important component to the risk of Lyme disease, is also high in the northeast and northern midwest, but declines sharply in the south. As ticks must acquire Lyme spirochetes from...
Authors
Howard Ginsberg, Graham J. Hickling, Russell L. Burke, Nicholas H. Ogden, Lorenza Beati, Roger A. LeBrun, Isis M. Arsnoe, Rick Gerhold, Seungeun Han, Kaetlyn Jackson, Lauren Maestas, Teresa Moody, Genevieve Pang, Breann Ross, Eric L. Rulison, Jean I. Tsao
Possible effects of climate change on ixodid ticks and the pathogens they transmit: Predictions and observations Possible effects of climate change on ixodid ticks and the pathogens they transmit: Predictions and observations
The global climate has been changing over the last century due to greenhouse gas emissions and will continue to change over this century, accelerating without effective global efforts to reduce emissions. Ticks and tick-borne diseases (TTBDs) are inherently climate-sensitive due to the sensitivity of tick lifecycles to climate. Key direct climate and weather sensitivities include...
Authors
Nicholas H. Ogden, Charles B. Beard, Howard S. Ginsberg, Jean I. Tsao
Seasonality of acarological risk of exposure to Borrelia miyamotoi from questing life stages of Ixodes scapularis collected from Wisconsin and Massachusetts, USA Seasonality of acarological risk of exposure to Borrelia miyamotoi from questing life stages of Ixodes scapularis collected from Wisconsin and Massachusetts, USA
Measures of acarological risk of exposure to Ixodes scapularis-borne disease agents typically focus on nymphs; however, the relapsing fever group spirochete, Borrelia miyamotoi can be transmitted transovarially, and I. scapularis larvae are capable of transmitting B. miyamotoi to their hosts. To quantify the larval contribution to acarological risk, relative to nymphs and adults, we...
Authors
Seungeun Han, Graham J. Hickling, Nicholas H. Ogden, Howard S. Ginsberg, Vishvapali Kobbekaduwa, Eric L. Rulison, Lorenza Beati, Jean I. Tsao
Spatiotemporal modeling of dengue fever risk in Puerto Rico Spatiotemporal modeling of dengue fever risk in Puerto Rico
Dengue Fever (DF) is a mosquito vector transmitted flavivirus and a reemerging global public health threat. Although several studies have addressed the relation between climatic and environmental factors and the epidemiology of DF, or looked at purely spatial or time series analysis, this article presents a joint spatio-temporal epidemiological analysis. Our approach accounts for both...
Authors
Gavino Puggioni, Jannelle Couret, Emily Serman, Ali S Akanda, Howard S. Ginsberg
Biological control of Aedes mosquito larvae with carnivorous aquatic plant, Utricularia macrorhiza Biological control of Aedes mosquito larvae with carnivorous aquatic plant, Utricularia macrorhiza
Background Biological controls with predators of larval mosquito vectors have historically focused almost exclusively on insectivorous animals, with few studies examining predatory plants as potential larvacidal agents. In this study, we experimentally evaluate a generalist plant predator of North America, Utricularia macrorhiza, the common bladderwort, and evaluate its larvacidal...
Authors
Jannelle Couret, Marco Notarangelo, Sarashwathi Veera, Noah LeClaire-Conway, Howard S. Ginsberg, Roger A. LeBrun
Prioritizing water security in the management of vector borne diseases: Lessons from Oaxaca, Mexico Prioritizing water security in the management of vector borne diseases: Lessons from Oaxaca, Mexico
Changes in human water use, along with temperature and rainfall patterns, are facilitating habitat spread and distribution of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, the primary vectors for the transmission of Dengue, Chikungunya, and Zika viruses in the Americas. Artificial containers and wetspots provide major sources of mosquito larval habitat in residential areas. Mosquito...
Authors
Ali S Akanda, Kristine D. Johnson, Howard S. Ginsberg, Janelle Couret
Local abundance of Ixodes scapularis in forests: Effects of environmental moisture, vegetation characteristics, and host abundance Local abundance of Ixodes scapularis in forests: Effects of environmental moisture, vegetation characteristics, and host abundance
Ixodes scapularis is the primary vector of Lyme disease spirochetes in eastern and central North America, and local densities of this tick can affect human disease risk. We sampled larvae and nymphs from sites in Massachusetts and Wisconsin, USA, using flag/drag devices and by collecting ticks from hosts, and measured environmental variables to evaluate the environmental factors that...
Authors
Howard S. Ginsberg, Eric L. Rulison, Jasmine L. Miller, Genevieve Pang, Isis M. Arsnoe, Graham J. Hickling, Nicholas H. Ogden, Roger A. LeBrun, Jean I. Tsao
Nonlinearities in transmission dynamics and efficient management of vector-borne pathogens Nonlinearities in transmission dynamics and efficient management of vector-borne pathogens
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an approach to minimizing economic and environmental harm caused by pests, and Integrated Vector Management (IVM) uses similar methods to minimize pathogen transmission by vectors. The risk of acquiring a vector-borne infection is often quantified using the density of infected vectors. The relationship between vector numbers and risk of human infection...
Authors
Howard S. Ginsberg, Jannelle Couret
Highly variable acquisition rates of Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) by birds on an Atlantic barrier island Highly variable acquisition rates of Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) by birds on an Atlantic barrier island
Acquisition of ticks by bird hosts is a central process in the transmission cycles of many tick-borne zoonoses, but tick recruitment by birds has received little direct study. We documented acquisition of Ixodes scapularis Say on birds at Fire Island, NY, by removing ticks from mist-netted birds, and recording the number of ticks on birds recaptured within 4 d of release. Eight bird...
Authors
S. S. Mitra, P. A. Buckley, F. G. Buckley, H. S. Ginsberg