27th Annual Student Research Conference
Truman Tick Team: A New Twist on Larval Tick Activity
Elizabeth N. Mann* and Kailong Mao
Dr. Stephanie Fore and Dr. Hyun-Joo Kim, Faculty Mentors
In order to assess the possibility of some vector-borne illness it is essential to understand the activity of Amblyomma americanum. The objective of our research is to build statistical model that can predict the activity of off-host larval A. americanum. Off-host ticks were gathered via baiting methods in both forest and field habitats in Adair county. Past models have been developed for off-host larval A. americanum from population data spanning six years of tick collections. We will be adding another years worth of data to the previous model, considering additional abiotic variables (including extreme high and low temperatures) and exploring the use of a dynamic negative binomial model, which will be used to account for the lack of independence among temporal observations. This model would be significant within vector ecology because the activity of larval stages impact the presence of later stages that carry disease.
Keywords: Ticks, Amblyomma Americanum, MathBio, statistical modeling , vectors
Topic(s):Mathematical Biology
Biology
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 103-4
Location: MG 1098
Time: 8:45