Project Number: 5410-32000-014-07
Project Type: Nonfunded Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Sep 15, 2004
End Date: Sep 14, 2009

Objective:
Arthropod-borne diseases are important pathogens of livestock and significantly affect the U.S. livestock industry. Many of these diseases also affect wildlife and can act as reservoirs of these diseases. Research will be conducted to develop better animal disease control methods through managing wildlife and livestock and arthropod vectors. Control methods may include vaccine/drug development, vaccine/drug delivery systems, vector surveillance and disease prominence among vectors, vector control methods, ecological studies that allow projections to be made on vector populations and risk assessment models to be developed. In addition, the interactions of the insect vectors with wildlife/livestock and diseases will be better characterized to assist with developing vector and disease management tools. Characterization of the vectors themselves using, molecular, biochemical, and physiological approaches will aid in developing novel approaches to disease and vector control.

Approach:
Mechanisms of pathogen neutralization in vertebrate and invertebrate cells will be determined. Disease pathogen replication in target cells derived from livestock, wildlife, and arthropod vectors will be studied and used to develop novel disease control techniques. Factors affecting replication and transmission will be identified through biochemical and molecular techniques. Impact of diseases of interest on animal hosts and vector, and epidemiological data will be determined.