Landscape ecology of the deer tick and its associated Lyme disease pathogen

莱姆病是由伯氏疏螺旋体引起的，它由一系列脊椎动物宿主携带，并通过受感染的蜱虫传播给人和动物。在加拿大，随着鹿蜱（肩突硬蜱）的分布范围向北扩展，莱姆病的发病率正在迅速增加。尽管莱姆病在加拿大的许多地区越来越重要，但莱姆病生态的许多方面仍然不清楚，特别是在最近引入的地区。这包括蜱虫和病原体的地理分布，不同物种作为蜱虫和莱姆病宿主的重要性，以及蜱虫和病原体在景观尺度上传播的途径。本研究的目的是：1）确定B的宿主范围和流行情况。本研究的目的是：（1）通过野外研究，了解莱姆病在自由放养的哺乳动物和蜱类中的传播途径;（2）通过生态建模，了解宿主、病媒和病原体生态位的生态决定因素;（3）通过分子研究，描述宿主、病媒和病原体的遗传多样性;（4）利用种群和景观遗传学，调查蜱类和莱姆病传播的潜在途径。我建议的研究结合了水库主机和蜱虫载体，水库主机，载体和病原体的分子和遗传特征，空间和统计建模，以更好地了解莱姆病生态学和传播位于鹿蜱入侵的北方范围前的城市周边环境的实地研究。这些研究将增加我们对B中小哺乳动物储毒宿主和蜱媒的参与的理解。莱姆病的传播和蔓延，并揭示如何传播模式受环境因素的影响。此外，这些研究将确定与鹿蜱和B传播相关的因素。最近莱姆病传入的一个地区。值得注意的是，这项研究将有助于为病媒传播疾病的监测和控制战略提供信息，最终减少疾病传播并预防家畜和人类感染。

Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, which is carried by a range of vertebrate reservoir hosts and transmitted to people and animals by infected tick vectors. In Canada, the incidence of Lyme disease is increasing rapidly in association with the northward range expansion of the deer tick (Ixodes scapularis). Despite the growing importance of Lyme disease in many parts of Canada, many aspects of Lyme disease ecology remain unclear, especially in areas of recent introduction. This includes knowledge on the geographic distribution of the tick and pathogen, the importance of different species as hosts for ticks and Lyme disease, and the pathways of tick and pathogen spread at the landscape scale. This research aims to: 1) determine the host range and prevalence of B. burgdorferi in free-ranging mammals and ticks through field studies; 2) understand the ecological determinants of reservoir host, vector and pathogen niche through ecological modelling; 3) characterize the genetic diversity of reservoir hosts, vectors and pathogens through molecular studies; and, 4) investigate potential pathways of tick and Lyme disease spread using population and landscape genetics. My proposed research combines field studies of reservoir hosts and tick vectors, molecular and genetic characterization of reservoir hosts, vectors and pathogens, and spatial and statistical modelling in order to better understand Lyme disease ecology and spread in peri-urban environments situated at the northern range front of deer tick invasion. These studies will increase our understanding of the involvement of small mammal reservoir hosts and tick vectors in B. burgdorferi transmission and spread, and reveal how Lyme disease transmission patterns are affected by environmental factors. Furthermore, these studies will identify factors associated with the spread of deer ticks and B. burgdorferi in a region of recent Lyme disease introduction. Notably, this research will help to inform vector-borne disease surveillance and control strategies, which will ultimately reduce disease spread and prevent infections in domestic animals and humans.