Title:

Determining the distribution of tick-borne rickettsioses in the UK

Summary:

Ticks are invertebrate arthropods that transmit a range of human and animal diseases including lyme disease, babesiosis, tick-borne encephalitis and rickettsial diseases. Rickettsial diseases are a family of diseases caused by closely related bacteria that range in severity from mild and self-limiting, to severe and life threatening. The prevalence and distribution of tick-borne rickettsial pathogens in UK, which determines the threat to human health, is poorly described. The UK Health Security Agency has recently carried out nationwide tick surveillance programmes in which ticks from across the country have been collected and curated. The goal of this summer project is to carry out a first analysis of the prevalence of different rickettsial species in ticks from across the UK. This will inform on the regional burden of rickettsial pathogens which can guide public health interventions and will also lay the foundation for future work on the interactions between different, unrelated tick-borne pathogens. This project will be carried out in the group of Dr. Salje, which specialises in rickettsial diseases, in collaboration with the group of Dr. Medlock at UK HSA.

Required knowledge:

• Background or demonstrated interest in microbiology or host pathogen interactions preferred. 

Supervisors:

Day-to-day supervisor: Jeanne Salje (jss53@cam.ac.uk)

Department of Biochemistry/Pathology