Research Project: Ticks and Human Health

Location: Invasive Insect Biocontrol & Behavior Laboratory

Publications (Clicking on the reprint icon will take you to the publication reprint.)

Aggressive interactions among white-tailed deer (Artiodactyla: Cervidae) at 4-poster devices for host-targeted tick control - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Bai, N., Pesapane, R., Machtinger, E.T., Li, A.Y. 2024. Aggressive interactions among white-tailed deer (Artiodactyla: Cervidae) at 4-poster devices for host-targeted tick control. Journal of Medical Entomology. 61(4):975-983. https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjae059.

Ixodes scapularis Is the most susceptible of the three canonical human-biting tick species of North America to repellent and acaricidal effects of the natural sesquiterpene, (+)-nootkatone - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Siegel, E.L., Xu, G., Li, A.Y., Pearson, P., Elman, N., D'Hers, S., Mather, T.N., Rich, S.M. 2023. Ixodes scapularis Is the most susceptible of the three canonical human-biting tick species of North America to repellent and acaricidal effects of the natural sesquiterpene, (+)-nootkatone . Insects. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15010008.

Lactate dehydrogenase inhibitors suppress Borrelia burgdorferi growth in vitro - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Lynch, A., Person, P., Savinov, S.N., Li, A.Y., Rich, S.M. 2023. Lactate dehydrogenase inhibitors suppress Borrelia burgdorferi growth in vitro. Journal of Pathogens. 12(7):962. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12070962.

Zoonotic implications of white-footed mice habitat selection and territoriality in fragmented landscapes - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Hummell, G.F., Li, A.Y., Kent, C.M., Mullinax, J.M. 2023. Zoonotic implications of white-footed mice habitat selection and territoriality in fragmented landscapes. Journal of Vector Ecology. 48(2):89-102. https://doi.org/10.52707/1081-1710-48.2.89.

Characterizing the repellencies of methyl benzoate and its analogs against the common bed bug Cimex lectularius - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Strickland, J., Larson, N.R., Feldlaufer, M.F., Zhang, A. 2022. Characterizing the repellencies of methyl benzoate and its analogs against the common bed bug Cimex lectularius. Journal of Economic Entomology. 13(11):1060. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13111060.

Spatial repellents transfluthrin and metofluthrin affect the behavior of Dermacentor variabilis, Amblyomma americanum, and Ixodes scapularis in an in vitro vertical climb assay - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Siegel, E.L., Olivera, M., Roig, E.M., Perry, M., Li, A.Y., D'Hers, S., Elman, N.M., Rich, S.M. 2022. Spatial repellents transfluthrin and metofluthrin affect the behavior of Dermacentor variabilis, Amblyomma americanum, and Ixodes scapularis in an in vitro vertical climb assay. PLOS ONE. 17(11):e0269150. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0269150.

The role of tire leachate in condition-specific competition and the persistence of a resident mosquito from a competitively superior invader - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Villena, O.C., Sullivan, J.H., Landa, E.R., Yarwood, S.A., Torrens, A., Zhang, A., Leisnham, P.T. 2022. The role of tire leachate in condition-specific competition and the persistence of a resident mosquito from a competitively superior invader. Insects. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13080663.

Patterns of white-tailed deer movements in suburban Maryland: implications for zoonotic disease mitigation - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Roden-Reynolds, P., Kent, C., Li, A.Y., Mulinax, J. 2022. Patterns of white-tailed deer movements in suburban Maryland: implications for zoonotic disease mitigation. Insects. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-022-01270-3.

Tissue-damaging marking methods do not affect tick burdens on field captured Peromyscus spp - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Roberts, C.E., Burgess, E.R., Miller, T.M., Wise, A., Dickerson, C.J., Skvarla, M.J., Li, A.Y., Machtinger, E.T. 2022. Tissue-damaging marking methods do not affect tick burdens on field captured Peromyscus spp. Wildlife Society Bulletin. https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.1385.

Very small collars: an evaluation of telemetry location estimators for small mammals - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Hummell, G., Li, A.Y., Mullinax, J. 2022. Very small collars: an evaluation of telemetry location estimators for small mammals. Animal Biotelemetry. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40317-022-00301-2.

Development of a taqman real-time PCR for the identification of haemaphysalis longicornis (Acari: ixodidae) - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Xu, G., Ribbe, F., Mccaffery, J., Luo, C., Li, A.Y., Rich, S. 2022. Development of a taqman real-time PCR for the identification of haemaphysalis longicornis (Acari: ixodidae). Journal of Medical Entomology. https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjac074.

White-tailed deer spatial distribution in relation to ‘4-Poster’ tick control devices in suburbia - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Roden-Reynolds, P., Kent, C.M., Li, A.Y., Mullinax, J.M. 2022. White-tailed deer spatial distribution in relation to ‘4-Poster’ tick control devices in suburbia. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19084889.

Recently evolved Francisella-like endosymbiont outcompetes an ancient and evolutionarily associated Coxiella-like endosymbiont in the lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum) linked to the Alpha-gal syndrome - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Kumar, D., Sharma, S.R., Adegoke, A., Kennedy, A., Tuten, H.C., Li, A.Y., Karim, S. 2022. Recently evolved Francisella-like endosymbiont outcompetes an ancient and evolutionarily associated Coxiella-like endosymbiont in the lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum) linked to the Alpha-gal syndrome. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2022.787209.

Behavior of nymphs and adults of the black-legged tick Ixodes scapularis and the lone star tick Ambylomma americanum in response to thermal stimuli - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Otalora-Luna, F., Dickens, J., Brinkerhoff, J., Li, A.Y. 2022. Behavior of nymphs and adults of the black-legged tick Ixodes scapularis and the lone star tick Ambylomma americanum in response to thermal stimuli. Insects. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13020130.

Vaccination of cattle with synthetic peptides corresponding to predicted extracellular domains of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus Aquaporin-2 reduces the number of ticks feeding to repletion - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Scoles, G.A., Hussein, H.E., Olds, C.L., Mason, K.L., Davis, S.K. 2022. Vaccination of cattle with synthetic peptides corresponding to predicted extracellular domains of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus Aquaporin-2 reduces the number of ticks feeding to repletion. Parasites & Vectors. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-022-05166-1.

Geotropic, hydrokinetic and random walking differ between sympatric tick species: the deer tick Ixodes scapularis and the lone star tick Ambylomma americanum - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Otalora-Luna, F., Dickens, J.C., Brinkerhoff, J., Li, A.Y. 2022. Geotropic, hydrokinetic and random walking differ between sympatric tick species: the deer tick Ixodes scapularis and the lone star tick Ambylomma americanum. Journal of Ethology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10164-021-00741-y.

Integrated tick management in Guilford, CT: Fipronil-based rodent-targeted bait box deployment configuration and Peromyscus leucopus (Rodentia: cricetidae) abundance drive reduction in tick burdens - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Linske, M.A., Williams, S.C., Stafford, K.C., Li, A.Y. 2021. Integrated tick management in Guilford, CT: Fipronil-based rodent-targeted bait box deployment configuration and Peromyscus leucopus (Rodentia: cricetidae) abundance drive reduction in tick burdens. Journal of Medical Entomology. https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjab200.

Composition of three zingiberaceae essential oils and their efficacy against the survivability of cocoa pod borer, Conopomorpha cramerella (Snellen) eggs - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Bakar, S., Haijar Md Latip, S., Awang, A., Zhang, A. 2021. Composition of three zingiberaceae essential oils and their efficacy against the survivability of cocoa pod borer, Conopomorpha cramerella (Snellen) eggs. Journal of Bangladesh Agricultural University. https://doi.org/10.5455/JBAU.36604.

Surveillance of ticks and tick-borne pathogens in suburban natural habitats of central Maryland - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Milholland, M.T., Eisen, L., Nadolny, R.M., Hojgaard, A., Machtinger, E.T., Mullinax, J.M., Li, A.Y. 2021. Surveillance of ticks and tick-borne pathogens in suburban natural habitats of central Maryland. Journal of Medical Entomology. https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjaa291.

Coinfections in ixodes scapularis from white-tailed deer compared to questing ixodes infer facultative mutualism across sites in Maryland, USA - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Milholland, M.T., Xu, G., Rich, S.M., Machtinger, E.T., Mullinax, J.M., Li, A.Y. 2021. Coinfections in ixodes scapularis from white-tailed deer compared to questing ixodes infer facultative mutualism across sites in Maryland, USA. Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases. https://doi.org/10.1089/vbz.2020.2644.

Trapping white-tailed deer (Artiodactyla: cervidae) in suburbia for study of tick-host interaction - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Roden-Reynolds, P., Machtinger, E.T., Li, A.Y., Mullinax, J.M. 2020. Trapping white-tailed deer (Artiodactyla: cervidae) in suburbia for study of tick-host interaction. Journal of Insect Science. https://doi.org/10.1093/jisesa/ieaa044