Dissertation Research: Elucidating the Population Dynamics of a Vector-Borne Pathogen: An Empirical and Modeling Approach

伍顿，鱼和草莱姆病是由一种细菌引起的，在美国的许多地区，这种细菌通过扁虱在脊椎动物之间传播。这个项目以莱姆病循环为模型系统，研究生态因素如何决定微寄生虫在自然界中的分布和丰度。第一个目标是检查当地脊椎动物物种组成对传播动力学的影响。将通过对主要脊椎动物宿主物种白足鼠的选择性接种来操纵自然宿主群落，并将监测对微寄生虫动态的影响。第二个目标是批判性地观察不同感染媒介的密度和比例如何影响传播动力学。使用一个模型和关于扁虱和老鼠感染的调查数据，我们将测试哪种感染衡量标准更好地预测老鼠种群的季节内传播动态。尽管微寄生虫对种群和群落动态有影响，但生态学家在很大程度上忽略了微寄生虫的生态学。流行病学家也经常忽视了解自然界微生物种群动态的重要性，转而专注于疫苗和治疗。这项研究的结果将对这两个领域做出贡献，并促进我们对这些无处不在的、多样化的和重要的生物的认识。

9972739Wootton, Fish & TsaoLyme disease is caused by a bacterium that in many areas in the United States is transferred between vertebrates by ticks. Using the Lyme disease cycle as a model system, this project examines how ecological factors determine the distribution and abundance of a microparasite in nature. The first objective is to examine the effect of local vertebrate species composition on transmission dynamics. A natural host community will be manipulated through selective vaccination of the principal vertebrate host species, white-footed mice, and the effects on micoparasite dynamics will be monitored. The second objective is to look critically at how density and proportion of vectors infected differentially may affect transmission dynamics. Using a model and survey data on infection in ticks and mice, we will test which measure of infection better predicts within-season transmission dynamics in mouse populations.Ecologists largely have ignored the ecology of microparasites despite the implications for population and community dynamics. Epidemiologists also often have ignored the importance of understanding microbe population dynamics in nature, focusing instead on vaccines and treatments. The results of this study will make contributions to both fields and advance our knowledge about these ubiquitous, diverse, and important organisms.