A5089816615- Viral Infections and Vectors
- Vector-borne infectious diseases
- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Vector-Borne Animal Diseases
- Forensic Entomology and Diptera Studies
- Insect Pest Control Strategies
- Insect behavior and control techniques
- Insect Resistance and Genetics
- Dermatological diseases and infestations
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Zoonotic diseases and public health
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Malaria Research and Control
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- COVID-19 epidemiological studies
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Study of Mite Species
- Plant and animal studies
- Plant Pathogens and Resistance
- Insect-Plant Interactions and Control
- Animal and Plant Science Education
- Dengue and Mosquito Control Research
- Yersinia bacterium, plague, ectoparasites research
University of Tennessee at Knoxville
2015-2024
Plant (United States)
2021-2023
Institute of Entomology
2021
East Tennessee Children's Hospital
2017
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
2015
Tennessee Department of Health
2015
University of California, Davis
2012
University of Arkansas at Fayetteville
2008-2010
University of Kentucky
2006-2009
The Lone Star tick, Amblyomma americanum, transmits several bacterial pathogens including species of Anaplasma and Ehrlichia. americanum also hosts a number non-pathogenic endosymbionts. Recent studies other arthropod insect vectors have documented that commensal microflora can influence transmission vector-borne pathogens; however, little is known about tick microbiomes their possible on tick-borne diseases. Our objective was to compare communities associated with A. comparing...
La Crosse virus (LACV) is a mosquito-borne pathogen that causes more pediatric neuroinvasive disease than any other arbovirus in the United States. The geographic focus of reported LACV (LACV-ND) expanded from Midwest into Appalachia 1990s, and most cases have been few high-risk foci since then. Here, we used publicly available human data to investigate changes distribution LACV-ND clusters between 2003 2021 socioeconomic demographic predictors county-level risk states with persistent...
Expanding geographic distribution and increased populations of ticks has resulted in an upsurge human-tick encounters the United States (US), leading to increase tickborne disease reporting. Limited knowledge broadscale spatial range tick species is heightened by a rapidly changing environment. Therefore, we partnered with Forest Inventory Analysis (FIA) program Service, U.S. Department Agriculture used passive surveillance better understand spatiotemporal variables associated foresters...
Increased threat of mosquito-borne disease coupled with decreased tolerance nuisance mosquitoes has opened a market for pest management professionals to offer mosquito control services homeowners. A professional applied bifenthrin (0.08%) and lambda-cyhalothrin (0.1%) at their maximum label concentrations as barrier treatments. We tested treatments residual efficacy in reducing adult populations compared these chemicals against water 24 residential properties (eight replications by three...
Species distribution models were constructed for ten Ixodes species and Amblyomma cajennense a region including Mexico Texas. The model was based on maximum entropy algorithm that used environmental layers to predict the relative probability of presence each taxon. For Mexico, geographic ranges predicted by restricting cells which have higher than lowest in record located. There spatial nonconcordance between distributions group with former restricted lowlands mainly eastern coast latter...
Two tick-borne diseases with expanding case and vector distributions are ehrlichiosis (transmitted by Amblyomma americanum) rickettiosis A. maculatum Dermacentor variabilis). There is a critical need to identify the specific habitats where each of these species likely be encountered classify pinpoint risk areas. Consequently, an in-depth tick prevalence study was conducted on dominant ticks in southeast. Vegetation, soil, remote sensing data were used test hypothesis that habitat vegetation...
Abstract La Crosse virus (LACV) is the most common cause of neuroinvasive mosquito-borne disease in children within United States. Despite more than 50 years recognized endemicity States, true burden LACV grossly underappreciated, and there remain severe knowledge gaps that inhibit public health interventions to reduce morbidity mortality. Long-standing deficiencies surveillance, clinical diagnostics therapeutics, actionable entomologic environmental risk indices, case response capacity,...
Cimex lectularius L. is a widespread hematophagus insect pest around the world and currently experiencing reemergence as public health of concern. One possible source bed bugs to human environment movement from poultry facilities structures by workers. No recent studies have been conducted on susceptibility this wide range insecticides. In addition, populations not screened against insecticides for over 15 yr. Adult collected three in northwest Arkansas were exposed 24 or 48 h (25°C) glass...
Phytophthora capsici causes significant loss to pepper (Capsicum annum) in China and our goal was develop single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers for P. characterize genetic diversity nationwide. Eighteen isolates of from locations worldwide were re-sequenced candidate nuclear mitochondrial SNPs identified. From 2006 2012, 276 recovered 136 27 provinces genotyped using 45 2 SNPs. There two main haplotypes 95 multi-locus genotypes (MLGs) Genetic geographically structured with a high...
Abstract Tick‐borne disease surveillance and research rely on resource‐effective methods for tick collection. This study compared the respective performances of several trapping in a mixed grassland–forest habitat western T ennessee. To test temporal differences effectiveness, sites were sampled monthly ( A pril– ugust 2013) using dry ice, dragging, flagging, sweep netting, carbon dioxide CO 2 ) dragging flagging methods. evaluate effect method four (dragging, ice) types (bottomland...
Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), caused by the etiological agent Rickettsia rickettsii, is most severe and frequently reported rickettsial illness in United States, commonly diagnosed throughout southeast. With discoveries of parkeri other group rickettsiae (SFGR) ticks, it remains inconclusive if cases as RMSF are truly R. rickettsii or SFGR. Arkansas reports one highest incidence rates country; consequently, to identify Arkansas, 1,731 250 white-tailed deer, 189 canines were screened...
Abstract Haemaphysalis longicornis Neumann is an exotic and invasive tick species rapidly expanding across the United States. Large infestations of these ticks on cattle can cause anemia, in eastern regions country, they are transmitting Theileria orientalis Ikeda within herds. Methods for managing H. environment rarely successful rely chemicals. To document population effects from producer management decisions, we investigated change populations to different practices chosen by producers at...
To monitor mosquito-borne diseases, public health departments conduct mosquito and pathogen surveillance. Our objective was to evaluate monitoring methods for collecting La Crosse virus (LACV) West Nile (WNV) vectors (Aedes Culex mosquitoes, respectively) in southern Appalachia. Centers Disease Control Prevention (CDC) light traps baited with carbon dioxide (CO2), CDC CO2 BG lure, BG-Sentinel CO2, gravid oak (Quercus)–water infusion, resting were compared eastern Tennessee 2013. Traps...
Between March 2019 and February 2020, Asian long-horned ticks (
Abstract The horn fly, Haematobia irritans (L.), is one of the most important external parasites cattle in North America and elsewhere. Horn fly adults have an intimate association with cattle, their primary host. With often-high numbers by feeding up to 38 times per day flies stress cattle. resulting productivity loss valued at more than 2.3 billion USD United States. Insecticides are commonly used mitigate direct injury from indirect disease transmission. This paper discusses biology,...
The combined region of eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina has a persistently high risk pediatric La Crosse virus neuroinvasive disease (LACV-ND). To guide public health intervention in this region, the objectives retrospective ecological study were to investigate geographic clustering predictors LACV-ND at ZIP code tabulation area (ZCTA) level. Data on cases reported between 2003 2020 obtained from Department Health Human Services. Purely spatial space-time scan statistics used...
To determine the cause of spotted fever cases in southern United States, we screened Gulf Coast ticks (Amblyomma maculatum) collected Arkansas for rickettsiae. Of ticks, 30% had PCR amplicons consistent with Rickettsia parkeri or Candidatus amblyommii.
Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto (s.s.) is a primary vector of Plasmodium falciparum in sub-Saharan Africa. Although some physiological differences among molecular and chromosomal forms this species have been demonstrated, the relative susceptibility to malaria parasite infection them has not unequivocally shown. The objective study was investigate P. circumsporozoite protein (CSP) positivity An. s.s. forms. Wild from two sites Kela (n = 464) Sidarebougou 266) Mali were screened for presence...
In the northeastern and midwestern regions of United States Ixodes scapularis Say transmits causal agents anaplasmosis (Anaplasma phagocytophilum), babesiosis (Babesia microti), borreliosis (Borrelia burgdorferi B. miyamotoi). southeastern States, none those pathogens are considered endemic two other tick-borne diseases (TBDs) (ehrlicihosis rickettiosis) more common. Our objective was to determine baseline presence absence data for three non-endemic bacterial (Anaplasma, Borrelia Babesia)...
Interspecific associations between two mosquito species can lead to effects such as competition, displacement, and stability. To better understand Aedes albopictus (Skuse) other species, we monitored eggs in artificial oviposition cups (ovitraps) within Knox County, TN, U.S.A., during the 2016 2017 seasons. In 2016, one black white ovitrap were placed at 18 sites for 21 weeks, while ovitraps baited with grass-infused or deionized water 11 nine weeks. Eggs identified resulting counts used...
In the Eastern and Upper Midwestern regions of North America, Ixodes scapularis (L.) is most abundant tick species encountered by humans primary vector B. burgdorferi, whereas in southeastern region Amblyomma americanum (Say) but cannot transmit burgdorferi. Surveys Borreliae ticks have been conducted United States often these surveys identify lonestari as Borrelia species, not included Arkansas ticks, canines, or white-tailed deer considered pathogenic. The objective this study was to...
Ehrlichiosis and rickettsiosis are two common bacterial tick-borne diseases in the southeastern United States. is caused by ehrlichiae transmitted Amblyomma americanum rickettsiae maculatum Dermacentor variabilis. These ticks have overlapping distributions region. The objective of this study was to identify Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, Rickettsia species associated with questing a Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) hotspot, habitats, time periods, collection methods for collecting...
Anaplasma marginale is the causative agent for bovine anaplasmosis (BA) and Ehrlichia ruminantium heartwater, 2 devastating diseases of cattle. BA common in United States frequently reported western Tennessee cattle; however, cases heartwater are not yet established continental States. Because both pathogens transmitted via bites infected ticks, objective this study was to survey cattle pastures ticks each pathogen. University AgResearch has 7 research education centers (REC) located...