Detection, characterization, and prediction of XXXX foci.

@entity1 @entity3001 @entity3966 @entity281 @entity7545
@entity7545 ( @entity7545 ) transmission foci need to be characterized in space and time, and are often discontinuous on both scales. An active @entity7545 focus is dependent on the fulfillment of three conditions: tick survival, pathogen survival and opportunities for @entity1 exposure. The essentials for tick survival include food sources, reproduction, and protection from environmental extremes. The pathogen survival kit includes sufficient densities of ticks and suitable reservoir hosts, and opportunities for transmission between them in order to maintain @entity281 . Opportunities for @entity1 exposure depend on sufficient number of encounters between ticks and @entity1 . Because tick foci need to be described on a range of spatial and temporal resolutions, data for such characterization include a variety of surveillance data, field and laboratory experimental data, as well as results of statistical and mathematical analysis and modeling. The application of new tools from molecular biology, geographic information systems (GIS), and satellite imagery, in conjunction with appropriate analytical methods allow for detection of unknown foci and prediction of new ones. A long-term multi-scale study of @entity3966 and @entity3001 in the north-central U. S. is reviewed. Diverse surveillance methods of ticks, rodents, deer, canids and @entity1 were coupled with environmental characterization in situ to create a habitat profile for @entity3001 ticks. Incorporating various digitized databases, a statistical model was used to develop a risk map for tick distribution in the region. The process of introduction and establishment of new tick foci along the Illinois River is described in relation to the known tick distribution and predictions of invasion based on the risk model.
