Objective:
To establish and implement the USDA Northeast Regional Lyme tick control program. Specific objectives include: establish partnerships and collaborations; evaluate the existing ARS technologies, including '4-poster' device for control of Lyme tick (deer tick) on tick-infested deer in LYme endemic areas in the northeast; demonstrate the positive impacts of deer tick control on incidence of Lyme disease; transfer adoptable Lyme tick control technologies to end-users in the Lyme endemic areas.

Approach:
ARS (John George) and its cooperator at Yale (Durland Fish) will provide leadership and overall coordination of the USDA Northeast Regional Lyme tick control project. Implementation of the project will be the responsibility of Location Project Coordinators. The ARS cooperator, Dr. Fish will coordinate funding and project implementation through a Specific Cooperative agreement with ARS. Twenty to thirty '4-poster'devices will be deployed for every 50-55 acres of hyperendemic disease area in each of the five states. Deer density, the proportion of deer treated, and the density of ticks on deer will be periodically estimated. Adult, nymphal and larval tick populations in vegetation will be periodically assayed. Prevalence of Lyme disease pathogen in host-seeking ticks will be estimated. Original start and termination dates were 07/28/1997 through 07/27/2002 - AMEarl. Extended for an additional 5 years; modified start/term dates from 07/28/02 thru 07/27/07 to 07/28/07 thru 07/27/12. klj