Spatially Scalable Integrated Tick Vector/Rodent Reservoir Management to Reduce Human Risk of Exposure to Ixodes scapularis Ticks Infected with Lyme Disease Spirochetes

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PROJECT SUMMARY Effective tick control is an important public health measure for combating Lyme disease. It is generally believed that the majority of Lyme disease cases are acquired from ticks living in the peridomestic landscape, thereby placing responsibility for disease prevention mostly at the local level, and especially on individual householders. Despite several studies documenting effective peridomestic tick control measures, human exposures to ticks are increasingly common and cases of Lyme disease have not been reduced. This project aims to bridge the gap between tick control research and human behavior by 1) assessing the effectiveness of an integrated tick management (ITM) strategy applied to either individual or contiguous residential properties, and 2) identifying patterns of human activity within and outside of the peridomestic landscape that lead to encounters with infected ticks. Our ITM approach will integrate the application of well-timed sprays of tick-killing chemicals (to reduce host-seeking ticks) with installation of rodent-targeted bait boxes (to reduce the prevalence of ticks carrying Lyme- causing germs). This approach will be evaluated simultaneously at properties in Lyme-endemic towns located in western Connecticut and southern Rhode Island. Tick abundance will be compared between treated and untreated properties using standard tick collecting methods. Human tick encounters will be recorded and compared using a novel crowd-sourced reporting system (TickSpotters). Study participants will be asked to document the location of their outdoor activity throughout the day in easy-to-use digital journals. Expected outcomes of this project are a reduction in the number of infected blacklegged ticks and human tick encounters at residences receiving an integrated tick management intervention, and an improved understanding of where people encounter ticks both around human habitations and in public outdoor settings.