Spatial and Temporal Associations of human Lyme disease Rates with Environmental Factors in Vermont
Disciplines
Geographic Information Sciences | Geography | Human Geography | Physical and Environmental Geography | Spatial Science
Abstract (300 words maximum)
In 2022, the CDC Lyme Disease Surveillance Data ranked Vermont as the second state with the highest incidence rates of Lyme disease, with a rate of 202.8 per 100,000 cases. In comparison, according to Vermont officials, reports of human Lyme disease cases in the 1990’s were rare. In the United States, the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected ticks. According to the Vermont Department of Health, infected blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis), commonly known as deer ticks, are the primary vectors of Lyme disease in Vermont. While the transmission of Lyme disease is well documented on a nationwide level, the relationships between the rates of human Lyme disease and environmental factors in Vermont are not well studied. The objective of this project is to analyze the spatial and temporal associations of both county-level human Lyme disease cases and incidence rates with environmental factors, including temperature, precipitation, and deer populations in the state of Vermont from 2003 to 2022 using GIS (Geographic Information System) and statistical analyses. GIS is used to map and compare spatial and temporal associations in human Lyme disease rates by county in response to changes in environmental factors. Statistical analysis, especially correlation analysis, is used to quantify and compare the associations of human Lyme disease rates with these environmental factors. This study is expected to reveal the spatial and temporal patterns in Lyme disease cases and rates and their associations with environmental factors in Vermont. It will contribute to a better understanding of the associations of Lyme disease with environmental conditions and provide useful information for public health policy making.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
RCHSS - Geography & Anthropology
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Dr. Jun Tu
Spatial and Temporal Associations of human Lyme disease Rates with Environmental Factors in Vermont
In 2022, the CDC Lyme Disease Surveillance Data ranked Vermont as the second state with the highest incidence rates of Lyme disease, with a rate of 202.8 per 100,000 cases. In comparison, according to Vermont officials, reports of human Lyme disease cases in the 1990’s were rare. In the United States, the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected ticks. According to the Vermont Department of Health, infected blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis), commonly known as deer ticks, are the primary vectors of Lyme disease in Vermont. While the transmission of Lyme disease is well documented on a nationwide level, the relationships between the rates of human Lyme disease and environmental factors in Vermont are not well studied. The objective of this project is to analyze the spatial and temporal associations of both county-level human Lyme disease cases and incidence rates with environmental factors, including temperature, precipitation, and deer populations in the state of Vermont from 2003 to 2022 using GIS (Geographic Information System) and statistical analyses. GIS is used to map and compare spatial and temporal associations in human Lyme disease rates by county in response to changes in environmental factors. Statistical analysis, especially correlation analysis, is used to quantify and compare the associations of human Lyme disease rates with these environmental factors. This study is expected to reveal the spatial and temporal patterns in Lyme disease cases and rates and their associations with environmental factors in Vermont. It will contribute to a better understanding of the associations of Lyme disease with environmental conditions and provide useful information for public health policy making.