Improving affordable tracking of tick- and mosquito-borne infections
Developing New Statistical Methods for Vector-Borne Disease Surveillance to Improve Accuracy while Reducing Cost
This project makes new, cheaper ways to test groups of ticks and mosquitoes so health departments and people at risk can better know where infections are spreading.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of South Carolina at Columbia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Columbia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11142998 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you live in areas with ticks or mosquitoes, this project aims to give clearer maps of where those insects carry infections so you and your doctor can make better care decisions. Researchers will reduce testing costs by pooling multiple insects together for laboratory tests and then use new statistical mapping methods to interpret the pooled results over space and time. The team will combine active field collection with passive reports and lab data to cover more locations without large expense. The goal is to help local health labs and clinicians spot changing risk patterns earlier and more accurately.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This is most relevant to people who live in regions with active tick or mosquito transmission or anyone who wants better local information after a possible exposure.
Not a fit: If your illness is unrelated to tick- or mosquito-borne infections or you need immediate treatment, this surveillance-focused project will not directly change your care right now.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could provide cheaper, more accurate local maps of vector-borne infection risk to help guide diagnosis, prevention, and public health actions.
How similar studies have performed: Pooling tests and spatial models have been useful for tracking other infectious threats, but combining pooled-vector testing with new spatio-temporal models for ticks and mosquitoes is a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
Columbia, United States
- University of South Carolina at Columbia — Columbia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Self, Stella Coker Watson — University of South Carolina at Columbia
- Study coordinator: Self, Stella Coker Watson
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.