A rapid screening tool for multiple tick pathogens/Maritime tick bank

Ticks contain many different disease-causing bacteria and viruses, including the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. Multiple infections with these other pathogens in addition to Borrelia cause more severe illness. For many of these pathogens there are no or limited diagnostic tools available to detect the pathogen. This project includes production of a new product, a rapid
screening tool for multiple tick pathogens. This product would allow ticks to be simultaneously screened for the presence of multiple, clinically important pathogens. This tool is based on published methodology developed for European tick pathogens. Development of this tick screening product relies on the Maritime tick bank data to find regionally-specific pathogen DNA sequences, for example strain common in Eastern Canada. Development of this rapid tick pathogen screening tool is important for correct public health messaging as well as for a diagnostic aid in human and veterinary medicine.

Faculty Supervisor:

Vett Lloyd

Student:

Julie Lewis

Partner:

Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation

Discipline:

Biology

Sector:

Life sciences

University:

Mount Allison University