1st Place: D3003: Ticks of Kentucky: Pathogens and population breakdown

Ticks are a major public health threat. In Kentucky, they are a common nuisance and have quickly become a major concern for the wellbeing of people, pets, and wildlife in the Bluegrass. As cases of tick-borne diseases continue to rise both in-state and worldwide, it is important to relay findings from vector surveillance programs to the public using resources that effectively communicate what ticks and pathogens they may be exposed to. The Kentucky Tick Surveillance Program has been active since 2019 and aims to 1) identify populations of ticks throughout the state, 2) determine what pathogens the ticks are infected with, and 3) generate materials to encourage prevention of tick bites and awareness of tick-borne disease. This infographic presents the eight tick species (Ambylomma americanum, Amblyomma maculatum, Dermacentor albipictus, Dermacentor variabilis, Haemaphysalis leporispalustris, Haemaphysalis longicornis, Ixodes scapularis, Rhipicephalus sanguineus) that have been collected in Kentucky as part of the state's tick surveillance program and breaks down which species are more commonly collected, what tick-borne diseases they are associated with, and current infection rates for three major pathogens causing illness in both humans and animals: Ehrlichia chaffeensis, Rickettsia spp., and Borrelia burgdorferi.