Long-term objectives include a continuation and expansion of investigations of several critical aspects of the reproductive, genetic, populational, behavioral and ecological biology and distribution of the three Ixodes tick species in North America which are known to feed on humans and transmit the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, etiological agent of Lyme disease. These investigations will be enlarged by inclusion of reproductive and genetic investigations of I. ricinus and I. persulcatus, the two major European and Asian species which are vectors of B. burgdorferi. Preliminary hybridization experiments among I. scapularis, I. dammini and I. pacificus suggest a potential sterile hybrid genetic control scheme for these species,l and development of this tick control method will be pursued. Finally, tick vector-spirochete relationships will continue to be investigated in the southeastern U.S., particularly Georgia.
Specific aim (1) will continue to expand hybridization attempts among I. scapularis, I. dammini and I. pacificus and add I. ricinus and I. persulcatus to the crosses.
Specific aim (2) will evaluate the intra- and interspecific genetic variability of each species by chromosomal analysis (including banding), isozyme and morphometric analyses and rDNA probes.
Specific aim (3) will test whether the sterile F1 hybrids can be used in a genetic tick control strategy. This will be examined via appropriate backcrosses of hybrids to parent species, mating competitiveness and other appropriate experiments.
Specific aim (4) will continue investigations of the quantitative ecology bionomics of I. scapularis.
Specific aim (5) will emphasize attempts to determine the natural tick vector(s) of B. burgdorferi in the southeastern U.S. by continuing our survey of suspect ticks and selected vertebrate hosts for presence of B. burgdorferi and vertebrate sera for presence of B. burgdorferi antibodies. Techniques will involve interspecific hybridizations, chromosomal analyses, electrophoretic isozyme analyses, statistical morphometric determinations, rDNA probes, ELISA, fluorescent-antibody (FA) and indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) techniques using monoclonal antibodies to B. burgdorferi, and spirochete culture (BSK medium).

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AI024899-05
Application #
3138155
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (SSS (02))
Project Start
1987-07-01
Project End
1995-06-30
Budget Start
1991-07-01
Budget End
1992-06-30
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
1991
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Georgia Southern University
Department
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
063828383
City
Statesboro
State
GA
Country
United States
Zip Code
30460
Durden, Lance A; Polur, Ram N; Nims, Todd et al. (2004) Ectoparasites and other epifaunistic arthropods of sympatric cotton mice and golden mice: comparisons and implications for vector-borne zoonotic diseases. J Parasitol 90:1293-7
Durden, Lance A; Oliver Jr, James H; Banks, Craig W et al. (2002) Parasitism of lizards by immature stages of the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis (Acari, Ixodidae). Exp Appl Acarol 26:257-66
Durden, L A; Oliver Jr, J H; Kinsey, A A (2001) Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) and spirochetes (spirochaetaceae: spirochaetales) recovered from birds on a Georgia Barrier Island. J Med Entomol 38:231-6
Steinlein, D B; Durden, L A; Cannon, W L (2001) Tick (Acari) infestations of bats in New Mexico. J Med Entomol 38:609-11
Zhu, X X; Oliver Jr, J H (2001) Cockroach allatostatin-like immunoreactivity in the synganglion of the American dog tick Dermacentor variabilis (Acari: Ixodidae). Exp Appl Acarol 25:1005-13
Whitlock, J E; Fang, Q Q; Durden, L A et al. (2000) Prevalence of Ehrlichia chaffeensis (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae) in Amblyomma americanum (Acari: Ixodidae) from the Georgia coast and Barrier Islands. J Med Entomol 37:276-80
Merten, H A; Durden, L A (2000) A state-by-state survey of ticks recorded from humans in the United States. J Vector Ecol 25:102-13
Durden, L A; Hu, R; Oliver Jr, J H et al. (2000) Rodent ectoparasites from two locations in northwestern Florida. J Vector Ecol 25:222-8
Felz, M W; Chandler Jr, F W; Oliver Jr, J H et al. (1999) Solitary erythema migrans in Georgia and South Carolina. Arch Dermatol 135:1317-26
Oliver Jr, J H; Magnarelli, L A; Hutcheson, H J et al. (1999) Ticks and antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi from mammals at Cape Hatteras, NC and Assateague Island, MD and VA. J Med Entomol 36:578-87

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