Natural History of Borrelia lonestari 

This project examines the natural maintenance cycle of Borrelia lonestari, a putative agent of southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI) or “southern Lyme disease” in lone star ticks, white-tailed deer, and other wildlife species.  The work involves both evaluation of naturally infected ticks and wild animals, and experimental confirmation of the proposed maintenance cycle.

Sponsor:  NIH NIAID

PIs:  Susan E. Little, Edmour Blouin, Kathy Kocan

UGA: Michael Yabsley, Kevin Keel

Diagnosis of Borrelia lonestari

This project seeks to develop better diagnostic assays for Borrelia lonestari, a putative agent of southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI) or “southern Lyme disease.”  Research projects include experimental infection of white-tailed deer and rabbits and development of microbiologic, molecular, and serologic techniques to identify infected animals with the ultimate goal of developing diagnostic assays for use in people.

Sponsor:  NIH NIAID

PIs:  Susan E. Little

UGA: Michael Yabsley

Transmission of Ehrlichia canis by Rhipicephalus sanguineus 

This project examines the transmission dynamics at play as Ehrlichia canis is moved between dogs by the brown dog tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus.  

Sponsor:  Bayer Animal Health. 

PIs:  Susan E. Little, Kathy Kocan, Eileen Johnson, Sidney Ewing

Ehrlichia ewingii Infection and Exposure Rates in Dogs

Ehrlichia ewingii commonly infects dogs in areas of the US where lone star ticks predominate. This project seeks to document the prevalence of E. ewingii infection and exposure in dogs from the Ozark Plateau and use samples acquired from naturally infected dogs to refine diagnostic assays for E. ewingii and other, closely-related rickettsial pathogens of dogs and people.

Sponsor:  IDEXX

PI:  Susan E. Little, Sidney Ewing, Jim Meinkoth