Informing Pennsylvania public health and safety on deer ticks
A study of deer and ticks at the Penn’s School of Veterinary Medicine could shape public health and safety across the Commonwealth.
2 min. read
Despite their small size, ticks are among the most dangerous animals encountered in the wild due to their ability to transmit zoonotic infections to humans, domestic animals, and wildlife. In the U.S., nine tick species carry pathogenic viruses, bacteria, and parasites, with the blacklegged deer tick (Ixodes scapularis) being the primary vector of infection. Lyme disease, the most prevalent tick-borne disease in the U.S., has been on the rise over the past two decades. Pennsylvania faces a disproportionate burden, with over 60,000 lab-confirmed canine cases and more than 11,000 human cases reported in 2024.
Ticks are active when the temperature is above freezing, but their activity intensifies during the warmer months. Late-spring and summer are peak Lyme season, with the highest transmission occurring between May and August.
(Image: Olga Pankova)
A multiyear research initiative to identify pathogens in Pennsylvania’s white-tailed deer and their associated ticks could shape public health and safety across the Commonwealth. Researchers at Penn’s School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn Vet), in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Game Commission, are studying the complex interactions between ticks, pathogens, hosts, and their environment. Led by adjunct associate professor of pathobiology Julie Ellis of the Wildlife Futures Program (WFP) along with investigators from the Institute for Infectious and Zoonotic Diseases (IIZD) and the Center for Host-Microbial Interactions (CHMI), the study aims to survey the presence and distribution of pathogens, and to understand the dynamics of tick-borne disease transmission in wildlife.
The surge in tickborne diseases over the past two decades, partly attributed to human activities, underscores the need for innovative mitigation strategies. By spatially mapping ticks and associated pathogens across Pennsylvania, this study offers a foundation for understanding where geographic risk is concentrated within the Commonwealth. The intent is to guide targeted interventions, public health messaging, and land and wildlife management practices to reduce exposure and transmission of tickborne diseases.
This story is by Lisa Mattei and Nicole Hurd. Read more at Penn Vet.
Novel plant-based approach to a better, cheaper GLP-1 delivery system
Research led by Penn Dental’s Henry Daniell investigates the use of a lettuce-based, plant-encapsulated delivery platform as a new oral delivery of two GLP-1 drugs previously approved by the FDA in injectable form.
No brain, no gain: Neuronal activity enhances benefits of exercise
Research led by Penn neuroscientist J. Nicholas Betley and collaborators finds that hypothalamic neurons are essential for translating physical exertion into endurance, potentially opening the door to exercise-mimicking therapies.
In honor of Valentine's Day, and as a way of fostering community in her Shakespeare in Love course, Becky Friedman took her students to the University Club for lunch one class period. They talked about the movie "Shakespeare in Love," as part of a broader conversation on how Shakespeare's works are adapted.
In Becky Friedman’s English course Shakespeare in Love, undergraduate students analyze language, genre, and adaptation in the Bard’s plays through the lens of love.
Beating the heat: Designing cooling for bodies in motion
Dorit Aviv, director of Weitzman’s Thermal Architecture Lab, studies how humans, technology, and design intersect, paving the way for the development of novel approaches to cooling people efficiently.
