WHERE THE TICKS ARE: MAPPING THE LOCATION OF PATHOGEN-CARRYING TICKS IN WESTERN MARYLAND
As the days get warmer, are you planning to spend more time enjoying the great outdoors in western Maryland? If so, you may be concerned about encountering ticks and tick-born diseases. Join us for Where the Ticks Are: Mapping the Location of Pathogen Carrying Ticks on Western Maryland to learn more about ticks in our region. Dr. Rebekah Taylor, Associate Professor of Biology at Frostburg State University, will discuss the ongoing research she and her students have been conducting on ticks and Lyme disease in western Maryland.
This event will held on Zoom. Registration is required. Once registered, attendees will receive the Zoom information via email.
Dr. Taylor and several undergraduate and graduate students at Frostburg State University are currently investigating the prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, in Western Maryland. Ticks are collected and tested for the presence of Borrelia by PCR analysis, and blood and tissue samples from wild mice are also tested by ELISA and PCR. These data along with environmental information will allow a broad picture of the emergence of Lyme in the regional area. Dr. Taylor's ultimate goal for this data is an interactive web application that would allow hikers, bikers, and others planning to spend time outdoors locally to check the prevalence of ticks carrying Borrelia burgdorferi.
