Understanding how a tick-borne virus spreads in ticks and people
Official title: Intra-tick and intra-host infection dynamics of a tick-borne bunyavirus
Funded at University of South Alabama · NIH-11117173 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how a serious tick-borne virus, SFTSV, moves between ticks and people to help us find ways to stop its spread.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of South Alabama NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Mobile, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $515,742 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI171398-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11117173 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This foundational research does not directly involve patient participation, but future studies based on this work may seek individuals at risk for tick-borne diseases or those with SFTS.
✕Less likely to help
Patients seeking immediate treatment or direct clinical intervention for SFTS will not directly benefit from this basic science project.
What this research studies
Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is a serious illness caused by a virus carried by ticks, and it's becoming more common with no specific treatments available. This project aims to understand the journey of the SFTS virus inside ticks and how it first interacts with the body when a tick bites. By learning more about these early steps of infection, we hope to discover new ways to prevent the virus from spreading. This knowledge is essential for protecting people from this emerging disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new strategies for preventing the transmission of SFTS virus, potentially reducing illness and death.
How similar studies have gone: This project addresses a critical need for fundamental knowledge about bunyavirus infection dynamics, building upon existing but incomplete understanding of tick-borne virus transmission.
Where this research is happening
-
University of South Alabama
Mobile, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hermance, Meghan Elizabeth — University of South Alabama
- Study coordinator: Hermance, Meghan Elizabeth
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.