Jake Elliot at work in the lab

JAKE ELLIOT Department of Biology Murray State University, Murray, KY 42071. Mentor: Terry Derting Title of Presentation: A GIS Map of Lyme Disease Risk in Kentucky Presented at: Posters-at-the-Capitol, Frankfort, KY and published it in Chrysalis, Murray State University. The research was supported by: the Biology and Mathematics Program, National Science Foundation. ABSTRACT Lyme disease affects many people annually, but data on the impact of Lyme disease in Kentucky are limited. Our objective was to create a GIS model which predicted risk of Lyme borreliosis throughout Kentucky based on presence of Peromyscus leucopus, their immunocompetence, and conditions of the surrounding landscape (i.e. disturbance, land use). Previous research suggests that disturbance, by way of habitat fragmentation, affects immunocompetence.  Using GIS and Kentucky GAP data, we identified disturbed and undisturbed habitat patches found within the geographic range of the white-footed mouse, P. leucopus.  Patches were ranked based on area, with small patches carrying a higher Lyme disease risk.  For specific regions, patchiness, percent area disturbed, and immunity values were calculated to determine a relative risk for Lyme disease.  Our results suggested that there is a low to moderate risk of Lyme disease throughout the state of Kentucky with a model accuracy of 53.3%.  Our model provides a basemap whose accuracy can be continually improved. | Previous Page | Undergraduate Research Home | | College Home Page | Date Modified May, 2008