Binghamton University’s Dr. Ralph Garruto began studying Lyme disease in 2012. After a large spike in the number of Lyme disease cases and an increase in ticks throughout the Upper Susquehanna River Basin, Dr. Garruto started the Binghamton University Lyme and Other Tick-borne Diseases Research Project to determine tick densities and infectivity with the Lyme pathogen and assess human risk though demographic and behavioral observation. Preliminary results have shown extremely high tick densities and a high rate of infectivity with the Lyme pathogen. Peri-urban and sub-urban environments have shown to be more risky for tick encounters than more rural or remote areas. The research team is currently working on more data collection to build a model of human risk with broader applications for the region.

For more information go to: https://www.binghamton.edu/centers/lyme-disease-center/index.html