DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Elucidating an invasion of the blacklegged tick and the Lyme disease pathogen

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Landscape fragmentation, climate change, and global trade will inevitably continue to increase the rate of species invasions. When invaders are species of medical importance, such as vectors, pathogens, or reservoir hosts, successful invasion may also result in disease emergence. Lyme disease is the leading vector-borne disease of humans in the United States, and cases are increasing in part due to ongoing range expansions of the blacklegged tick. Over the past five years, the research team has tracked an active invasion of blacklegged ticks and the Lyme disease pathogen in Michigan through investigations of wildlife hosts in the field, and have provided an early warning of this emerging threat. The team will analyze the genetic diversity of the pathogen collected from host-seeking ticks to infer the geographical source of the invading ticks and pathogen as well as how they are invading across the landscape. This research provides a model for elucidating an invasion in real-time of an emerging disease. Broader impacts include aiding local and regional health departments and natural resource agencies, as the data collected herein will allow assessment of disease risk and offer points for intervention. Furthermore, this research is the founding project for Michigan State University's new research specialization in conservation medicine, which trains students in ecology, microbiology, human medicine, and veterinary medicine to work together to solve problems of emerging diseases that impact human, wildlife, and domestic animal health.