Laura Elizabeth Witt

Ms. Laura Elizabeth Witt


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

3Years (2024-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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26 May 2024 in Insects
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
KBKayla Bramlett
Kayla Bramlett
LWLaura Elizabeth Witt
Laura Elizabeth Witt
MMMadeleine Mary Meyer
Madeleine Mary Meyer
KZKia Zellars
Kia Zellars
KDKyndall Dye-Braumuller
Kyndall Dye-Braumuller
MGMelissa Garcia
Melissa Garcia
Dynamic environmental conditions, such as climate change and host availability, have greatly influenced the expansion of medically relevant tick vectors into new regions throughout the southeastern United States of America. As tick populations migrate into new areas, it has been suggested they can exhibit a phenomenon known as incomplete feeding. With this phenomenon, tick vectors feed on more than one host at each life stage, thus increasing the likelihood of pathogen transmission. Although this behavior is not well understood, it presents an important threat to human health. Here we present evidence of incomplete feeding behaviors in multiple tick species in South Carolina. Engorged, blood-fed female ticks were collected from feral dogs at animal shelters across South Carolina in 2022. All ticks were tested for human blood meals using rapid stain identification blood tests. Approximately one third (33.78%) of all ticks tested positive for a human blood meal, with various patterns seen across species, geographic location, and collection month. The results of this pilot study follow the current national trend of increasing rates of tick-borne disease incidence in the southeastern United States of America and warrant further investigation into the relationship between seasonality, geographic distribution, species, and incomplete feeding among tick populations in South Carolina.