Keith Clay, Indiana University – Tick Risks

Don’t get scared, but the threat of ticks is growing!

Keith Clay, biologist at Indiana University, details the increasing presence of these insects.

A Distinguished Professor of Biology at Indiana University Bloomington, Keith Clay studies how microbial interactions affect the dynamics of ecological communities. This research falls into four general areas: the microbial community ecology of tick-bore human pathogens; soil-borne pathogens and forest dynamics; endophyte symbiosis and biodiversity; and periodical cicadas and forest community dynamics.

Clay’s research on ticks and tick-associated microbial communities in particular has received over $2.7 million in grants sources such as the National Science Foundation-National Institutes of Health’s Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases Program, and has resulted in nearly 20 publications, including both general and disciplinary scientific journals, and two book chapters. His main collaborator on the work is Clay Fuqua, chair of the IU Bloomington Department of Biology, which has a strong emphasis on infectious disease evolution and ecology.

In addition to his research activities, Clay is the director of the IU Research and Teaching Preserve and an affiliate of the Center for Research in Environmental Science at the IU School of Public and Environmental Affairs, where is also an adjunct professor. The IU Research and Teaching Preserve comprises seven areas totaling over 1,500 acres in southern Indiana, as well as a 6,000-square-foot field laboratory, the first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-certified building built at IU Bloomington. Clay is a strong proponent of hands-on research at the preserve, and is deeply committed to outreach activities directed at elementary and high school students.

Clay was elected a fellow of the AAAS in 2005 and named an IU Distinguished Professor in 2013. He holds a Ph.D. in biology from Duke University and served a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Texas. He is the author of nearly 200 publications.

Tick Risks

Did you know the bite of a tick — the tiny arachnids you can pick up on a walk in the woods — is the second most common vector after mosquitos for parasitic disease in the world ? And  the No. 1 vector in the United States, Canada and other temperate climate nations.

Tick bites can cause  Lyme Disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and more than a dozen other diseases.

For the past 15 years, I’ve been studying ticks in the lower Midwest. In that time, I’ve discovered that ticks carry a wide range of microbes in their bodies; some are harmful to humans and others not.

I’ve also seen the encroachment of new tick species into the region.

Ten years ago, the lone star tick didn’t exist in Indiana. Now they’re the most common tick in the state. These ticks transmit diseases such as ehrichiosis, tularemia and southern tick-associated rash illness. Their saliva also causes an allergy to mammalian meat in some people.

In 10 more years, I expect that we’ll find the Gulf Cost tick in our region as well.

No one’s sure why ticks are on the move. But there’s a few likely culprits. One is climate change: As the environment warms, ticks move north. They also become active earlier in the year.

Another is the migration of large animals, such as deer, and other smaller creatures. Unlike mosquitos, ticks can’t fly — but they can catch a ride on birds.

As the tick population changes, it’s important to keep tracking their geographic distributions — and the microbes they carry. What’s harmless today could morph into something harmful tomorrow.

Despite ticks we should enjoy, not fear, our natural environment. Use insect sprays, stay on the trail and check yourself for ticks after you venture into grassy, brushy areas, and you’ll stay safe. If you do find a tick, remove it immediately.

Read More: IU Bloomington Newsroom: Long-term study on ticks reveals shifting migration patterns, disease risks