We work on a variety of disease systems. In the past, the community ecology of Lyme disease and tick-borne pathogens was a major focus. Currently we work on how deforestation in the southern Amazon interacts with biodiversity (hosts), vectors, and pathogens to influence disease risk to humans. Our primary focus is Leishmaniasis, which is transmitted by sand flies, but we also work with other pathogens. In addition, we work on developing and testing genetic tools to detect the fungal pathogen that causes white-nose syndrome in bats. We have recently started a project geared toward the treatment of infected bats in the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Relevant Publications<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sabino-Santos Jr., G., Fernandes, F.F, da Silva, D.J.F., Melo, D.M., da Silva, S.G., S\u00e3o Bernardo, C.S., Filho, M.D.S., Levi, T.<\/strong>, Figueiredo, L.T.M., Peres, C.A., Bronzoni, R.V.M, Canale, G.R. 2019.<\/em> Othohantavirus antibodies among phyllostomid bats from the arc of deforestation in Southern Amazonia, Brazil<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vieira C.J.S.P., Andrade, C.D, Kubiszeski, J.R., Silva D.J.F., Barreto, E.S., Massey, A.L.<\/strong>, Canale, G.R., Bernardo, C.S.S., Levi, T.<\/strong>, Peres, C.A., Bronzoni, R.V.M. 2019. <\/em>Detection of Ilheus virus in mosquitoes from Southern Amazon, Brazil. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Urbina, J.<\/strong>, Chestnut, T., Schwalm, D., Allen, J.<\/strong>, Levi, T. <\/strong>2019.<\/em> Experimental evaluation of degradation rates of genomic DNA of the pathogen Pseudogymnoascus destructans<\/em> (Pd) in bat guano. PeerJ<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ostfeld, R.S.*<\/sup>, Levi, T.*<\/sup><\/strong>, Keesing, F., Oggenfuss, K. Canham, C.D. 2018. <\/em>Tick-borne disease risk in a forest food web. Ecology<\/em>*authors contributed equally<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Kilpatrick, M., Dobson, A.D.M., Levi, T.<\/strong>, Salkeld, D.J., Swei, A., Ginsberg, H.S., Kjemtrup, A., Padgett, K.A., Jensen, P.M., Fish, D., Ogden, N.H., Diuk-Wasser, M. 2017. <\/em>Lyme disease ecology in a changing world: consensus, uncertainty, and critical gaps for improving control. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Burtis, J.C., Sullivan, P., Ostfeld R.S., Levi, T.<\/strong>, Yavitt, J.B., Fahey, T.J. 2016. <\/em>The impact of temperature and precipitation during Ixodes scapularis<\/em> questing periods on human Lyme disease incidence and natural tick densities in long-term endemic and emerging regions. Parasites and Vectors<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Levi, T.<\/strong>, Keesing, F., Holt, R.D., Barfield, M., Ostfeld, R.S. 2016<\/em>. Quantifying dilution and amplification in a community of hosts for tick-borne pathogens. Ecological Applications<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Levi, T.<\/strong>, Massey, A.L., Holt, R.D., Keesing, F., Ostfeld, R.S., Peres, C.A. 2016<\/em>. Does biodiversity protect humans against infectious disease?: Comment. Ecology<\/em>. 97: 536-546<\/p>\n\n\n\n Levi, T.<\/strong>, Kilpatrick, A.M., Barfield, M., Holt, R.D., Mangel, M., Wilmers, C.C. 2015. Threshold levels of generalist predation determine consumer response to resource pulses<\/a><\/strong>. Oikos<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Levi, T.<\/strong>, Keesing, F., Oggenfuss, K., Ostfeld, R.S. 2015. Accelerated phenology of blacklegged ticks under climate warming<\/a><\/strong>. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B<\/em>. 370: 20130556<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ostfeld, R.S., Levi, T.<\/strong>, Jolles, A., Martin, L.B., Hosseini, P.R., Keesing, F. 2014. Life history and demographic drivers of reservoir competence for three tick-borne zoonotic pathogens. Plos ONE<\/em>. 9(9) e107387<\/p>\n\n\n\n