Understanding how fleas fight bacterial infections
Official title: Ecological immunology of a flea vector (Ctenocephalides felis)
Funded at Georgia Southern University · NIH-11076234 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how different things like age, sex, diet, and environment affect how well cat fleas can fight off bacterial infections, helping us understand their role in spreading serious diseases to humans.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Georgia Southern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Statesboro, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $177,500 |
| NIH project number | 5R16AI170530-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11076234 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals living in areas where flea-borne diseases are prevalent, particularly those who may have close contact with pets or environments infested with fleas.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not live in flea-infested areas or who are not at risk of flea-borne diseases may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the immune responses of cat fleas to bacterial infections, focusing on how various factors like age, sex, diet, and environmental conditions influence their ability to resist disease. By examining these factors, the study aims to uncover the ecological aspects that affect flea immunity and their role as vectors for serious human diseases such as murine typhus and bubonic plague. The research will involve comparing immune responses in adult fleas based on their individual characteristics and the conditions they experienced as larvae.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved strategies for controlling flea populations and reducing the transmission of bacterial diseases to humans.
How similar studies have gone: While the ecological immunology of fleas is a relatively novel area of research, studies on other disease vectors have shown that understanding their immune responses can lead to significant advancements in disease control.
Where this research is happening
-
Georgia Southern University
Statesboro, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Brown, Lisa Diane — Georgia Southern University
- Study coordinator: Brown, Lisa Diane
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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.