University of Kentucky Researchers Study Tick Ecology and Disease Transmission via Wild Mice
University of Kentucky (UK) research students, advised by Hannah Tiffin, Ph.D., assistant Extension professor of veterinary entomology, are conducting a study to gather baseline data on tick species, their host animals, and the impact of various land use types in Kentucky. The project, primarily funded by the UK Student Sustainability Council, focuses on the role of wild mice in tick life cycles. Mice are considered 'tick magnets' due to their abundance and ability to move ticks from wilder areas to human and livestock-interacting environments. They also harbor various pathogens, including Borrelia burgdorferi, which causes Lyme disease. The research team employs multiple sampling methods, including tick dragging, trapping and checking wild mice, and utilizing artificial mouse nesting sites. Collected ticks are identified and sent to a lab to determine the presence of disease-causing pathogens. 
