8: The effects of habitat type and pathogen infection on tick host-seeking behavior

Tick-borne diseases are an increasing threat to public health in Florida. The lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum, is an active and aggressive tick often reported on human hosts and as the vector of several disease-causing pathogens including: Ehrlichia chaffeensis, the causative agent of human monocytic ehrlichiosis, and multiple Rickettsial spotted fever illnesses such as Rickettsia rickettsii, responsible for Rocky Mountain spotted fever. It is particularly important to understand how host-seeking behavior in ticks carrying human pathogens may differ from uninfected ticks, and whether ticks behave differently depending on their local environment. Behavior is a major driver of disease dynamics and is often overlooked. Ticks engage in questing behaviors by climbing to the tops of vegetation in the hopes of brushing up on a host to obtain a blood meal. While exposed on this vegetation, they risk desiccation. Previous research in other species has found that infected ticks spend more time questing and at greater heights. Results will be discussed regarding whether A. americanum questing behavior differs between infected and uninfected ticks, across three different habitat types in Florida, among similar habitat types, and whether there is individual variation amongst tick host seeking behaviors.