Primary Interest: Parasite Transmission in Human-Altered Landscapes
Baylisascaris procyonis is a common roundworm parasite of raccoons, the definitive host. Adult worms live and reproduce in the small intestine of raccoons, and thousands of eggs are eliminated with feces. Because raccoons use common locations for defecation (latrines), large accumulations of eggs can accumulate in the environment. Latrines are the foci of transmission to intermediate hosts (small vertebrates) that forage for undigested seed among raccoon feces. When latrines occur in areas of high human use, accidental infections can occur with devastating results. We are interested in the transmission dynamics of this parasite in human-altered landscapes. Increases in environmental levels of eggs and subsequent increases in transmission could lead to localized declines in biodiversity and increased risk of accidental human infections.
Publications:
Page, L. K., R.K. Swihart, and K.R. Kazacos. 1998. Raccoon latrine structure
and its potential role in parasite transmission of Baylisascaris procyonis
to vertebrates. American Midland Naturalist 140:180-185.
Page, L. K., R.K. Swihart, and K.R. Kazacos. 1999. Implications of raccoon
latrines in the epizootiology of Baylisascariasis. Journal of Wildlife Diseases
35:474-480.
Rhodes, O.E., Jr., R.N. Williams, J. Heffelfinger, L. K. Page, E. P. Reat,
and J. C. DeVos, Jr. 1999. Genetic variation in pronghorn from Arizona. 18th
Biennial
Pronghorn Antelope Workshop Proceedings.
Williams, R.N., L.K. Page, T.L. Serfass, O.E. Rhodes, Jr. 1999. Genetic polymorphism
in fishers (Martes pennanti). American Midland Naturalist 141:406-410.
Page, L. K., R.K. Swihart, and K.R. Kazacos. 2001. Changes in transmission
of
Baylisascaris procyonis as a function of spatial scale. Oikos 93:213-220.
Page, L.K., R.K. Swihart, and K.R. Kazacos. 2001. Foraging among feces: food
availability affects parasitism of Peromyscus leucopus by Baylisascaris procyonis.
Journal of Mammalogy 82(4):993-1002
Page, L.K., R.K. Swihart, and K.R. Kazacos. 2001. The roles of seed preference
and foraging by granivores at raccoon latrines in transmission dynamics of raccoon
roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis). Canadian Journal of Zoology 79:616-622.
Curtis, J., R.E. Sorensen, L.K. Page, D.J. Minchella. 2001. Microsatellite
loci in the human blood fluke Schistosoma mansoni and their utility for other
schistosome
species. Molecular Ecology Notes 1:143-145.
Kloos, H., DeSouza C., Gazzinelli, A., Silveira, B., Filho, S., da Costa Temba,
P., Bethony, J., Page, K., Grzywacz, C., Lewis, F., Minchella, D., LoVerde, P.,
and Oliveria, R. 2001. The distribution of Biomphalaria spp. In different habitats
in relation to physical, biological, water contact and cognitive factors in a
rural area in Minas Gerias, Brazil. Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de
Janeiro 96:57-66.
Rowe, C., Ittiprasert, W., Patterson, C., Eliff, C., Page, K., Lewis, F., Minchella,
D., and Knight, M. in press. Use of microsatellite variation and RAPD-PCR to
assess genetic polymorphism in Biomphalaria glabrata snails from a single locale
in a shistosomiasis endemic area. Malacologia.
Page, L.K., S.D Gehrt, K.K. Titcombe, and N.P. Robinson. in press.
Measuring Prevalence of Raccoon Roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis): A comparison
of common
techniques.– Wildlife Society Bulletin
Collaborative Research with Students (2005-2006)
Andrea Cascione- Population structure of raccoons infected with Baylisascaris procyonis
Naomi Chen– Evaluation of Community-based Diabetes Management Programs.
Grace Chin– Factors associated with the establisment of raccoon latrines
Ken Kellner– Transmission dynamics of Baylisascaris procyonis - addressing scale
Laura Madsen– Factors associated with the establisment of raccoon latrines
Chika Okoronkwo– Factors associated with hospitilization in Thailand (HNGR)
Mike Tagge– Effect of ethanol on seratonin pathways in Caenorhabditis elegans
Elizabeth Walter– Structure of Baylisascaris procyonis populations.
Daniel Zeccola– Availability of Antiretroviral Therapy and Socioeconomic Status in Uganda (HNGR)
Collaborative Research
with Students (2004-2005)
Zach Beatty – high school
student from the University of Chicago Lab SchoolAssessment of RAPDs
for determining subspecific differences
in Oncomelania hupensis.
Alyssa Davis – Assessment
of water contact rates and water quality in rural India.
Laura Madsen – Comparison
of historical and current prevalence of Baylisascaris procyonis at Jasper-Pulaski
Fish and Wildlife Area, Indiana.
Nathaniel Robinson – Disease
transmission dynamics as a function of predominant land use.
Elizabeth Walter - Population
structure of Baylisascaris procyonis with raccoon hosts.
Amanda Wells – Reproductive
strategies of Phoebes (Sayornis phoebe)
Previous Projects (2003-2004)
Becky Beran - Microsatellite variation and susceptibility of Raccoons (Procyon
lotor) to infection with Baylisascaris procyonis – Presented at the Annual
Midwestern Conference of Parasitology (June 2004).
Richard Colquitt – Prevalence of HIV among antenatal women in rural Kenya.
Brian Pottorf – Prevalence of Baylisascaris procyonis in a suburban neighborhood:
How do we define risk of zoonosis?
Nathaniel Robinson – The dynamics of human-altered landscapes in the
Masai Steppe Heartland of Tanzania: Constructing an Outline of Habitat Change
of the Manyara Basin.Previous Projects (2002-2003)
Previous Projects (2002-2003)
Becky Beran - “Use fecal DNA extraction and microsatellite primers to
determine habitat use of raccoons” – comparing fingerprinting
from fecal and tissue DNA extractions
Nick Cudney - “Use fecal DNA extraction and microsatellite primers to
determine habitat use of raccoons” – comparing fingerprinting
from fecal and tissue DNA extractions
Meredith DeHaan – “Investigating transmission dynamics of Schistosoma
mansoni: effects of snail density on penetration of miracidia”
Lesley Ediger – “Development of Conservation strategies of Red-fronted
Macaws in Bolivia”
Kristen Garate - “Projecting risk of human infection with Baylisascaris
procyonis using geographic information systems (GIS)”
Sarah Kron - “Investigating transmission dynamics of Schistosoma mansoni:
effects of snail density on penetration of miracidia”
Chelsea Lautz – “Population structure of Baylisascaris procyonis
with raccoon hosts as a function of season and landscape”
Nathaniel Robinson – “Distribution and prevalence of Baylisascaris
procyonis as a function of predominant land-use.”
Becca Scudiere - “Investigating transmission dynamics of Schistosoma
mansoni: effects of snail density on penetration of miracidia”
Amanda Wells - “Use fecal DNA extraction and microsatellite primers to
determine habitat use of raccoons” – comparing fingerprinting from
fecal and tissue DNA extractions and “Evaluating measures to deter
use of latrines by raccoons”
Previous Projects (2000-2002)
Krista Anderson. “Importance of intermediate host behavior in the transmission
dynamics of Baylisascaris procyonis.”
Jennifer Bates “Use fecal DNA extraction and microsatellite primers to
determine habitat use of raccoons.” – refining methodology
Drew Coppess - “Models of parasite transmission using geographic information
systems.”
Nick Cudney. Designing studies of parasite transmission at Brookfield Zoo.
Meredith DeHaan. “Development of RAPDs to differentiate subspecies
of Oncomelania hupensis.”
Paul Haidle. “Models of parasite transmission using geographic information
systems.”
Ellen Luy . “Seasonal abundance and distribution of raccoon latrines
and the relationship to prevalence of Baylisascaris procyonis.” And “Parasite
abundance and diversity in the long-tail weasel (Mustela frenata).”
Adam Sawatsky. “Use of microsatellite markers to determine the genetic
variation of a population of parasites (Schistosoma mansoni) within a single
host.
Erin Schrader. “Projecting risk of human infection with Baylisascaris
procyonis using geographic information systems (GIS)”
Josh Taylor. “Models of parasite transmission using geographic information
systems.”
Kristin Titcombe. “The relationship of raccoon population structure
to prevalence of a roundworm parasite.”