A Survey of Missouri’s Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens Using Citizen Science
ZoomZoom
FREE and OPEN to ALL. Junior Academy members, middle and high school students welcome and encouraged to attend. Space is limited. Click the event name, or the orange Event Information button, for more information and to register! Registrants receive Zoom link to join via email immediately after registering.
Featured Scientist: Deborah Hudman, MS, Senior Research Associate, Microbiology and Immunology, A.T. Still University, Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine
There is a pressing need to increase tick surveillance in Missouri. New human pathogens transmitted by ticks are being discovered, and the state has a diverse and abundant tick community that is poorly understood. Using citizen science, we can develop information on patterns in tick-borne health issues statewide and simultaneously convert the public from passive recipients of information to active participants in scientific study. This project began in April 2021 and will continue through September 2022. To date, over 15,000 ticks have been submitted and all but one county has submitted at least one tick.