PhD Student Pennsylvania State University State College, Pennsylvania
In the United States, there has been a steady increase in diagnosed cases of tick-borne disease. The pathogen that causes Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, is vectored by the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) and is estimated to affect over 330,000 people annually. Small mammals are reservoirs of this pathogen and frequently used hosts by blacklegged ticks, but host species use is highly heterogeneous. Understanding the mechanisms behind host selection is critical. Previously collected field data led to an ongoing lab-based behavioral experiment which aims to determine how tick attachment and host behavior are connected. Pilot data reveals that there may be differences in behavioral response to ticks based on host sex, as well as level of tick attachment. However, continuing investigations will offer more broad comparisons among hosts.
