Disease Ecology

Changes in land cover like urbanization, agricultural intensification, and woody plant encroachment into grasslands alter distributions of pathogens, vectors (e.g., mosquitoes and ticks), and wildlife hosts. As a result, land cover change has been linked to emergence and increased prevalence of vector-borne diseases throughout the world, and this is a major concern for public and animal health. We have led several studies of how land cover change and wildlife communities influence transmission of vector-borne diseases.

Current and Recent Disease Ecology Research

We previously conducted studies on West Nile virus (WNV) with researchers at the University of Illinois, University of Wisconsin, Michigan State University, and Emory University. This study evaluated relationships between bird communities and WNV and the role of bird-mosquito interactions in driving spatiotemporal patterns of transmission.

Led by master's student Megan Roselli (on left in upper photo), we conducted a study (in collaboration with the Noden lab at OSU) investigating how urbanization affects tick populations, tick-borne pathogen prevalence, and the role of birds in carrying tick-borne diseases in Oklahoma City (photos at right). This work also led to a published assessment of methods used to sample birds for ticks.

Along with the Noden lab and Drs. Sarah and Gabe Hamer at Texas A&M University, we also published a meta-analysis that reviewed the role of birds in the ecology of tick-borne pathogens across North America.

Loss Lab MS student Megan Roselli - here searching a bird for ticks - led our Oklahoma City tick-borne disease study; an Indigo Bunting sampled for ticks; a CO2 trap used to sample for ticks; and a Carolina Wren with an engorged tick

Again in collaboration with the Noden lab, we recently received a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant to study how woody plant encroachment into Great Plains grasslands affects the ecology of tick-borne diseases. In 2021, we published a comprehensive review and prospectus in Journal of Applied Ecology summarizing how woody plant encroachment is likely influencing vector-borne diseases in grasslands, shrublands, and savannahs worldwide (see below conceptual framework from the review paper), and our NIH-funded research is specifically evaluating whether encroachment by a native tree species (eastern redcedar) in the Southern Great Plains is affecting tick populations, the role of birds in carrying ticks, and pathogen infection rates in ticks. This project is being led by MS students Jozlyn Kizer (below left) and Tucker Taylor (below right)

All Disease Ecology Publications (Loss Lab members in bold)

Koch, R.W., Brandão, J., Riding, C., Loss, S.R., Steckley, A., Reichard, M.V. 2024. Examination of wild birds and feral hogs from Oklahoma, USA, for infection with Trichinella. Proceedings of the Oklahoma Academy of Science. 103:41-48.

Noden, B.H., Roselli, M.A., Loss, S.R. 2023. Factors affecting abundance of 3 tick species across a gradient of urban development intensity in the US Great Plains. Journal of Medical Entomology doi:10.1093/jme/tjad132.

Maichak, C., Hiney, K., Loss, S.R., Talley, J.L., Noden, B.H. 2022. Effects of woody plant encroachment by eastern redcedar on mosquito communities in Oklahoma. Journal of Vector Ecology 47:179-187.

Noden, B.H., Henriquez, B., Roselli, M.A., Loss, S.R. 2022. Use of an exclusion assay to detect novel rickettsiae in field collected Amblyomma americanum. Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases 13:101959.

Noden, B.H., Roselli, M.A., Loss, S.R. 2022. Effect of urbanization on presence, abundance, and coinfection of bacteria and protozoa in ticks in the US Great Plains. Journal of Medical Entomology 59:957-968.

Roselli, M.A., Noden, B.H., Loss, S.R. 2022. Tick infestation of birds across a gradient of urbanization intensity in the United States Great Plains. Urban Ecosystems 25:379-391.

Loss, S.R., Noden, B.H. Fuhlendorf, S.D. 2022. Woody plant encroachment and vector-borne disease Journal of Applied Ecology 59:420-430.

Roselli, M.A., Cady, S., Lao, S., Noden, B.H., Loss, S.R. 2020. Variation in Tick Load Among Bird Body Parts: Implications for Studying the Role of Birds in the Ecology and Epidemiology of Tick-Borne Diseases. Journal of Medical Entomology 57:845-851.

Noden, B.H., Roselli, M.A., Loss, S.R. 2020. Rickettsia parkeri and Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae in Ticks of the Amblyomma maculatum. Emerging Infectious Diseases 26:371-372.

Noden, B.H., Loss, S.R., Maichak, C., Williams, F. 2017. Risk of encountering ticks and tick-borne pathogens within a rapidly growing metropolitan area in the U.S. Great Plains. Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases 8:119-124.

Loss, S.R., Noden, B.H., Hamer, G.L., Hamer, S.A. 2016. A quantitative synthesis of the role of birds in carrying ticks and tick-borne pathogens in North America. Oecologia 182:947-959.

Hamer, S.A., Goldberg, T.L., Kitron, U.D., Brawn, J.D., Anderson, T.K., Loss, S.R., Tsao, J.I., Walker, E.D., Hamer, G.L. 2012. Wild birds in the urban ecology of ticks and tick-borne pathogens. Emerging Infectious Diseases 18:1589-1595.

Hamer, G.L., Chaves, L.F., Anderson, T.K., Kitron, U.D., Brawn, J.D., Ruiz, M.O., Loss, S.R., Hamer, G.L., Goldberg, T.L. 2011. Fine-scale variation in vector host use and force of infection drive localized patterns of West Nile virus transmission. PLoS ONE 6:e23767.

Loss, S.R., Hamer, G.L., Walker, E.D., Ruiz, M.O., Goldberg, T.L., Kitron, U.D., Brawn, J.D. 2009. Avian host community structure and prevalence of West Nile virus in Chicago, Illinois. Oecologia 159:415-24.

Loss, S.R., Hamer, G.L., Goldberg, T.L., Ruiz, M.O., Kitron, U.D., Walker, E.D., Brawn, J.D. 2009. Nestling passerines are not important hosts for amplification of West Nile virus in Chicago, Illinois. Vector Borne and Zoonotic Diseases 9:13-18.

Hamer, G.L., Kitron, U.D., Goldberg, T.L., Brawn, J.D., Loss, S.R., Ruiz, M.O., Hayes, D.B., Walker, E.D. 2009. Host selection by Culex pipiens mosquitoes and West Nile virus transmission. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 80:268-278.

Bertolotti, L., Kitron, U.D., Walker, E.D., Ruiz, M.O., Brawn, J.D., Loss, S.R., Hamer, G.L., Goldberg, T.L. 2008. Fine-scale genetic variation and evolution of West Nile virus in a suburban “hot spot” in Chicago. Virology 374: 381-389.

Hamer, G.L., Walker, E.D., Brawn, J.D., Loss, S.R. Ruiz, M.O., Goldberg, T.L., Schotthoefer, A.M., Brown, W.M., Wheeler, E., Kitron, U.D. 2008. Rapid amplification of West Nile virus: The role of hatch-year birds. Vector Borne and Zoonotic Diseases 8:57-68.

Hamer, G.L., Kitron, U.D., Brawn, J.D., Loss, S.R., Ruiz, M.O., Goldberg, T.L., Walker, E.D. 2008. Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae): a bridge vector of West Nile virus to humans. Journal of Medical Entomology 45: 125-128.