A5081698117- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Vector-borne infectious diseases
- Viral Infections and Vectors
- Parasite Biology and Host Interactions
- Bird parasitology and diseases
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Zoonotic diseases and public health
- Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- Rabies epidemiology and control
- Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
- Animal Disease Management and Epidemiology
- Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Yersinia bacterium, plague, ectoparasites research
- Vector-Borne Animal Diseases
- Malaria Research and Control
- Parasitic Diseases Research and Treatment
- COVID-19 epidemiological studies
- Leptospirosis research and findings
- Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
- Environmental Toxicology and Ecotoxicology
Savannah River National Laboratory
2018-2025
University of Georgia
2013-2025
Krea University
2022-2024
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata
2013-2021
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Tirupati
2020
Vector (United States)
2019
National Institutes of Health
2018-2019
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
2018-2019
Purdue University West Lafayette
2007-2016
Grand Valley State University
2015
Development of specific IgE antibodies to the oligosaccharide galactose-α-1, 3-galactose (α-gal) following tick bites has been shown be source red meat allergy. In this study, we investigated presence α-gal in four species: lone-star (Amblyomma americanum), Gulf-Coast maculatum), American dog (Dermacentor variabilis), and black-legged (Ixodes scapularis) by using a combination immunoproteomic approach , carbohydrate analysis., basophil activation approaches. Using aAnti-α-gal antibodies, was...
Abstract Aim Macroecological analyses provide valuable insights into factors that influence how parasites are distributed across space and among hosts. Amid large uncertainties arise when generalizing from local regional findings, hierarchical approaches applied to global datasets required determine whether drivers of parasite infection patterns vary scales. We assessed haemosporidian infections a broad diversity avian host clades zoogeographical realms depict hotspots prevalence identify...
Emerging infectious diseases are one of the greatest public health challenges. Approximately three-quarters these animal origin. These include classical zoonoses maintained in humans only via transmission from other vertebrates (e.g., rabies) and those initiated by a successful one-off zoonotic event (host-switch) conjunction with efficient human-to-human H1N1 influenza). Here, we provide systematic review, meta-analysis spatial risk modeling, to identify major characteristics past epidemics...
Abstract Population genetic tools can facilitate successful conservation and management of wildlife populations. However, the ability such approaches to inform programs depends upon assumptions linking patterns ecological processes, one implicit assumption usually being that parameters (e.g., population differentiation) estimated using a set loci accurately reflect underlying demographic microevolutionary forces affecting population(s) under study. This is an important because it also...
The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, has been characterized unprecedented rates of spatio-temporal spread. Here, we summarize main events in pandemic's timeline and evaluate what learnt public health community. We also discuss implications for future policy and, specifically, practice epidemic control. critically analyze this ongoing contrast it with 2002–2003 SARS outbreak. identify specific areas (e.g., pathogen identification initial reporting) wherein...
Understanding why some parasites emerge in novel host communities while others do not has broad implications for human and wildlife health. In the case of haemosporidian blood parasites, epidemic wild bird mortalities on oceanic islands have been linked to Plasmodium spp., but genera like Haemoproteus. Indeed, Haemoproteus is absent from many islands. By contrast, birds continental share long coevolutionary histories with both Haemoproteus, are thus ideal model systems elucidate...
Abstract Raccoon and opossum densities have implications for rabies management, but estimates of seasonal both species are lacking rural nonagricultural habitats the southeastern United States, a core portion their geographic range. Consequently, it remains unclear whether 1 limit other, which is possible considering substantial niche overlap. We carried out mark–recapture study raccoons opossums in 4 (bottomland hardwood forest, riparian upland pine isolated wetlands) South Carolina, States...
The raccoon ( Procyon lotor (L., 1758)), a generalist mesocarnivore, has thrived in anthropogenically fragmented landscapes. In this study we utilized 13 microsatellites to analyze the population genetic structure raccoons occupying an agriculturally habitat. Our analyses revealed low, but significant, levels of (F ST = 0.022, P < 0.001) among 645 inhabiting 29 spatially distinct habitat patches (neighborhoods). We found no evidence for presence either isolation by distance or barriers....
Abstract Sample size sufficiency is a critical consideration for estimating resource selection functions (RSFs) from GPS‐based animal telemetry. Cited thresholds include number of captured animals and as many relocations per N possible. These render RSF‐based studies misleading if large sample sizes were truly insufficient, or unpublishable small sufficient but failed to meet reviewer expectations. We provide the first comprehensive solution RSF by deriving closed‐form mathematical...
Abstract Background Identifying patterns and drivers of infection risk among host communities is crucial to elucidate disease dynamics predict infectious in wildlife populations. Blood parasites the genera Plasmodium Haemoproteus are a diverse group vector-borne protozoan that affect bird populations globally. Despite their widespread distribution exceptional diversity, factors underlying haemosporidian wild remain poorly understood. While some studies have examined variation avian risk,...
Abstract Niche theory predicts specialists which will be more sensitive to environmental perturbation compared generalists, a hypothesis receiving broad support in free‐living species. Based on their niche breadth, parasites can also classified as and with infecting only few generalists diverse array of host Here, using avian haemosporidian wild bird populations inhabiting the Western Ghats, India model system, we elucidate how climate, habitat human disturbance affects parasite prevalence...
The blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis (Journal of the Academy Natural Sciences Philadelphia, 1821, 2, 59)) is a vector Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.) (International Journal Systematic Bacteriology, 1984, 34, 496), causative bacterial agent Lyme disease, part slow-moving epidemic borreliosis spreading across northern hemisphere. Well-known geographical differences in vectorial capacity these ticks are associated with genetic variation. Despite need for detailed information this...
Abstract We describe 10 novel North American river otter ( Lontra canadensis ) polymorphic microsatellite loci. Individuals from two drainages in New York were sampled, and the number of alleles per locus ranged to 12 (Drainage 1) 2). Observed heterozygosities 0.21 0.83 0.20 0.80 Preliminary screening revealed that loci amplified five other mustelids [ Martes pennanti n = 6), fiona 8), Mustela frenata erminea 8) vison 5)].
Anthropogenic changes in land use and the extirpation of apex predators have facilitated explosive growth mesopredator populations. Consequently, many species been subjected to extensive control throughout portions their range due integral role as generalist reservoirs zoonotic disease. Yet, few studies monitored effects landscape composition or configuration on demographic behavioral response mesopredators population manipulation. During 2007 we removed 382 raccoons (Procyon lotor) from 30...
Globally, diseases transmitted by arthropod vectors, such as mosquitoes, remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality [1]. The defense responses mosquito other vectors against parasites are important for understanding disease transmission dynamics the development novel disease-control strategies. Consequently, mechanisms which mosquitoes resist parasitic infection (e.g., immune-mediated killing) have long been studied [2, 3]. However, ability to ameliorate negative fitness consequences...
Abstract The Virginia opossum ( Didelphis virginiana ), North America's only marsupial, has a range extending from southern Ontario, Canada, to the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, and Atlantic seaboard Pacific. Despite opossum's taxonomic uniqueness in relation other mammals America rapidly expanding distribution, its ecology remains relatively understudied. Our poor understanding of this important mesopredator is especially pronounced rural southeastern United States. goal was estimate effects...