Population Biology of Infectious Disease

Ecology of vector-borne & zoonotic diseases
Epidemiology and ecology of infectious diseases, particularly vector-borne and zoonoses with an emphasis on emerging and tropical diseases, including malaria, West Nile virus, dengue, schistosomiasis, Chagas disease and Lyme disease.

Recent publications:

• Gürtler RE,1, Kitron U, Cecere MC, Segura EL, Cohen JE. 2007. “Sustainable vector control and management of Chagas disease in the Gran Chaco, Argentina”. PNAS 104:16194-9.
• Hamer GL, Walker ED, Brawn JD, Loss SR, Ruiz MO, Goldberg TL, Schotthoefer AM, Brown WM, Wheeler E, Kitron UD. 2008. “Rapid Amplification of West Nile Virus: The Role of Hatch-Year Birds”. Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases 8: 57-68.

Population dynamics & control
Application of tools such as geographic information systems and remote sensing coupled with field studies and laboratory work to use environmental data to explain spatial distribution of disease, assess risk of transmission, target surveillance and control efforts and predict outcome of interventions.

Recent publications:

• Kitron U, Clennon JA, Cecere MC, Gürtler RE, King CH, Vázquez-Prokopec G. 2006. “Upscale or downscale: applications of fine scale remotely sensed data to Chagas disease in Argentina and schistosomiasis in Kenya”. Geospatial Health, 1: 49-58.
• Clennon JA, , Muchiri EM, King CH and U Kitron. 2007. “Hydrological modeling of snail dispersal patterns in Msambweni, Kenya and potential resurgence of Schistosoma haematobium transmission”. Parasitology 134:683-93.