Small Mammal Host Influence on Rickettsia Prevalence in Southeastern Virginia Ticks
Description/Abstract/Artist Statement
Ticks are parasitic arthropods, which are the second most common vector of animal and human pathogens worldwide. There are approximately 865 published species of ticks within three families: Argasidae (soft body), Ixodidae (hard body), and Nuttalliellidae (medium body). Ticks have a unique life cycle that requires a blood meal before continuing to the next stage of life: larvae, nymph, and adult. Typically, juvenile ticks, larvae and nymphs, feed on small mammals, while adults feed on large mammals and humans. Over recent decades, tick populations have been migrating northward, presenting growing medical concerns in new areas, including Virginia. Hard-bodied ticks like Amblyomma maculatum and Dermacentor variabilis are vectors of Rickettsia pathogens, R. parkeri and R. rickettsii, respectively. A. maculatum populations in Southeastern Virginia have shown a higher prevalence of R. parkeri than in the historical range, in some cases exceeding 60 percent. Preliminary research shows that small mammal hosts, particular to this region, may contribute to the increased prevalence of Rickettsia. This research aims to clarify the influences of small mammal hosts in the enzootic cycle of Rickettsia and determine the exact Rickettsia species harbored in differing tick populations. In this study, we collected immature ticks and rodent biopsies extracted from meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) and white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus). The samples will be analyzed for the type of Rickettsia and to determine the species of ticks by qPCR. We will then be able to quantify the prevalence of Rickettsia species amongst the two mammalian hosts.
Faculty Advisor/Mentor
David T. Gauthier, Holly Gaff, Wayne Hynes
Faculty Advisor/Mentor Department
Department of Biological Sciences
College Affiliation
College of Sciences
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Disciplines
Bioinformatics | Entomology | Molecular Biology | Molecular Genetics | Pathogenic Microbiology
Session Title
College of Sciences 3
Location
Learning Commons @Perry Library, Room 1310
Start Date
3-30-2024 10:45 AM
End Date
3-30-2024 11:45 AM
Small Mammal Host Influence on Rickettsia Prevalence in Southeastern Virginia Ticks
Learning Commons @Perry Library, Room 1310
Ticks are parasitic arthropods, which are the second most common vector of animal and human pathogens worldwide. There are approximately 865 published species of ticks within three families: Argasidae (soft body), Ixodidae (hard body), and Nuttalliellidae (medium body). Ticks have a unique life cycle that requires a blood meal before continuing to the next stage of life: larvae, nymph, and adult. Typically, juvenile ticks, larvae and nymphs, feed on small mammals, while adults feed on large mammals and humans. Over recent decades, tick populations have been migrating northward, presenting growing medical concerns in new areas, including Virginia. Hard-bodied ticks like Amblyomma maculatum and Dermacentor variabilis are vectors of Rickettsia pathogens, R. parkeri and R. rickettsii, respectively. A. maculatum populations in Southeastern Virginia have shown a higher prevalence of R. parkeri than in the historical range, in some cases exceeding 60 percent. Preliminary research shows that small mammal hosts, particular to this region, may contribute to the increased prevalence of Rickettsia. This research aims to clarify the influences of small mammal hosts in the enzootic cycle of Rickettsia and determine the exact Rickettsia species harbored in differing tick populations. In this study, we collected immature ticks and rodent biopsies extracted from meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) and white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus). The samples will be analyzed for the type of Rickettsia and to determine the species of ticks by qPCR. We will then be able to quantify the prevalence of Rickettsia species amongst the two mammalian hosts.