Utilizing a multi-pronged One Health approach to understand drivers of vector-borne diseases

Vector-borne diseases (VBDs) can affect humans, domestic animals, and wildlife along with causing severe impacts on countries’ public health, economy, agriculture, biodiversity, conservation, and food production, making this an important One Health problem. Understanding the drivers behind VBD transmission can inform the implementation of effective prevention measures and policies to reduce the burden of VBDs worldwide. This talk utilizes a One Health lens with a mixed methods approach to determine multiple pathways through which humans, cattle, domestic and wild animals interact with VBDs. In my research, I have used a variety of methods including systematic review, field research, knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) surveys, and retrospective data analysis and data mining to determine the ecological and epidemiological processes driving VBD transmission. Among my major research findings, I show that livestock, particularly cattle, can increase the risk of exposure to VBDs in humans via several different ecological mechanisms. I also discuss the trends in tick surveillance and tick-borne pathogen detection methods utilized over time in the United States. Through behavioral surveys, I found that farmers and Extension workers in Illinois have moderate knowledge about tickborne diseases (TBDs), and neither group followed sufficient tick prevention measures. Finally, I discuss my findings regarding human and non-human primate cases of Kyasanur Forest Disease in India since its discovery in 1957. The results from my research can be utilized to inform appropriate public health efforts and provoke further investigations into measures that can prevent VBD transmission to humans and animals in the United States.