Adaptive immunity in influences the acquisition and abundance of in ticks.

The Lyme disease spirochete cycles between immature black-legged ticks () and vertebrate reservoir hosts, such as rodents. Larval ticks acquire spirochetes from infected hosts, and the resultant nymphs transmit the spirochetes to naïve hosts. This study investigated the impact of immunocompetence and host tissue spirochete load on host-to-tick transmission (HTT) of and the spirochete load inside immature ticks.

The influence of weather on the population dynamics of common mosquito vector species in the Canadian Prairies.

Background: Mosquito seasonal activity is largely driven by weather conditions, most notably temperature, precipitation, and relative humidity. The extent by which these weather variables influence activity is intertwined with the animal's biology and may differ by species. For mosquito vectors, changes in weather can also alter host-pathogen interactions thereby increasing or decreasing the burden of disease.

Clobetasol increases the abundance of Borrelia burgdorferi in the skin 70 times more in male mice compared to female mice.

Lyme borreliosis is caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted among vertebrate hosts by Ixodes scapularis ticks in eastern North America. Treatment with topical corticosteroids increases the abundance of B. burgdorferi in the skin of lab mice that have been experimentally infected via needle inoculation.

Transcriptional profiling of Dermacentor variabilis (Acari: Ixodidae) provides insights into the role of the Haller's organ in spatial DEET recognition.

DEET is the most common active ingredient in commercial repellents, providing effective protection against blood-sucking insects and ticks. However, its mode of action is not fully understood, with several theories put forward to explain its repellency effect. Unique to ticks, the Haller's organ recognizes a variety of external stimuli through non-contact mechanisms, yet the extent to which the organ plays a role in tick chemoreception is not fully known.

Three years of surveillance associates agro-environmental factors with wireworm infestations in Manitoba, Canada.

Background: Wireworms, the soil-dwelling larvae of click beetles, are a major threat to global agricultural production. This is largely due to their generalist polyphagous feeding capabilities, extended and cryptic life cycles, and limited management options available. Although wireworms are well-documented as economically important pests in the Canadian Prairies, including Manitoba, there are gaps in knowledge on species distributions, subterranean behaviour and life cycles, feeding ecology and damage capacity, and economic thresholds for crop yield loss.

Occurrence of the Mosquito Aedes triseriatus (Diptera: Culicidae) Beyond Its Most Northwestern Range Limits in Manitoba, Canada.

Native to the Eastern United States and Eastern Canada, Aedes triseriatus (eastern tree hole mosquito) is an important vector of La Crosse virus and dog heartworm. Although its range has been well characterized in the United States, few studies have surveyed its distribution within Canada. In this study, mosquitoes were collected from a variety of urban and rural communities throughout Manitoba, Canada between the years of 2018 and 2020.

Genetic structure and population demographics of Hypnoidus bicolor (Coleoptera: Elateridae) in the Canadian Prairies.

Background: Following banning of the pesticide lindane in most counties, wireworms (i.e., the soil-living larval stages of click beetles) have become major pests of a variety of economically important field crops.

Natural insensitivity and the effects of concentration on the repellency and survival of American dog ticks (Dermacentor variabilis) by DEET.

N,N-Diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET) is by far the most used repellent worldwide. When applied topically to the skin, the active ingredient has been shown to provide protection from a variety of hematophagous insects, including mosquitoes and flies. DEET's effectiveness against ticks is influenced by a variety of factors (e.

Molecular evidence for the inhibition of cytochrome p450s and cholinesterases in ticks by the repellent DEET.

For more than 50 years DEET (N,N-Diethyl-m-toluamide) has been considered the gold standard of repellents. It is applied to the skin or clothing to deter mosquitoes and other blood-sucking invertebrate pests from approaching and/or settling, and ultimately it provides temporary protection from bites. Despite rampant global use, surprisingly little is understood about DEET's mode of action and the molecular targets of the active ingredient.