Current Projects
Tick and tick-borne disease ecology in central and southern Illinois
My postdoctoral work in the Modeling for Disease Control Improvement lab at the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign focuses on understanding the One Health implications for the growing abundance of ticks and tickborne illness in this region. I will apply species distribution models to estimate current and future tick and tickborne disease risk, and evaluate the impact of highly variable tick occurrence data. This research will coincide with public outreach to address socio-ecological solutions to disease prevention in humans and domestic animals.
My postdoctoral work in the Modeling for Disease Control Improvement lab at the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign focuses on understanding the One Health implications for the growing abundance of ticks and tickborne illness in this region. I will apply species distribution models to estimate current and future tick and tickborne disease risk, and evaluate the impact of highly variable tick occurrence data. This research will coincide with public outreach to address socio-ecological solutions to disease prevention in humans and domestic animals.
- Bacon, EA, Kopsco HL, Groenemeyer P, Mateus-Pinilla N., Smith RL. 2021. Effects of Climate on the Temporal Variation in Life Cycle of Three Tick Species. Journal of Medical Entomology. doi: 10.1093/jme/tjab189.
- Crist S, Kopsco HL, Miller A, Groenemeyer P, Snyder D, Mateus-Pinilla N, Smith RL. 2022. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of veterinary professionals toward ticks and tickborne diseases in Illinois. One Health. 10.1016/j.onehlt.2022.100391
- Kopsco HL, Smith RL, and Halsey SJ. 2022. A scoping review of species distribution modelling methods for ticks vectors. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. 10: 893016.https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2022.893016
- Carson D, Kopsco HL, Groenemeyer P, Sandstrom E, Mateus-Pinilla N, Smith RL. 2022. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of medical professionals towards ticks and tick-borne diseases in Illinois. One Health. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.onehlt.2022.100424
- Kopsco HL, Gronemeyer P, Mateus-Pinilla N, Smith RL. 2023. Current and future habitat suitability models for four ticks of medical concern in Illinois, USA. Insects. 14(3), 213. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects14030213
Tick and tick-borne disease knowledge, attitude, and practices among Illinois hunters
This project examines the understanding and experience of various game hunters with ticks and tick-borne disease, with a goal of identifying areas for targeted education and public health campaigns.
This project examines the understanding and experience of various game hunters with ticks and tick-borne disease, with a goal of identifying areas for targeted education and public health campaigns.
- Kopsco HL, Vaske JJ, Mateus-Pinilla N, Miller CA. In review. Cluster analysis describing hunter risk sensitivity to ticks and tick-borne disease in Illinois. Environment and Behavior.
- Kopsco HL, Vaske JJ, Miller CA, Mateus-Pinilla N, Smith RL. In preparation. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of hunters regarding ticks and tick-borne diseases in Illinois. One Health.
Assessing knowledge, attitudes, and practices of University of Illinois Extension professionals regarding ticks and tick-borne diseases in Illinois
We seek to evaluate and train University Extension professionals in tick and tick-borne disease prevention to serve as a public resource.
We seek to evaluate and train University Extension professionals in tick and tick-borne disease prevention to serve as a public resource.
Past Projects
Public trust in expert sources of tick bite prevention information
In collaboration with researchers from Western Connecticut State University, I examined the beliefs and attitudes of people connected to academic sources of tick bite prevention information to understand the role trust in experts plays in making decisions about tick-borne disease prevention methods.
In collaboration with researchers from Western Connecticut State University, I examined the beliefs and attitudes of people connected to academic sources of tick bite prevention information to understand the role trust in experts plays in making decisions about tick-borne disease prevention methods.
- Kopsco HL, Krell RK, Connally NP, Mather TN. In press. Tick bite prevention-seeking behaviors among tick resource-engaged internet and social media users: a survey. JMIR Formative Research. 10.2196/preprints.37871
Evaluation of a photo-based citizen-science tick surveillance tool (Doctoral project)
My research addressed the lack of adequate public tick bite prevention practices by evaluating whether a free photo-based surveillance system (TickSpotters crowd-sourced surveillance system) can provide an effective, large-scale health promotion surveillance tool according to metrics of theoretical behavior change models (e.g. Health Belief Model/Protection Motivation Theory of personal empowerment and the theory of planned behavior), what tick encounter risks can be identified, and whether the tool can provide and accurately predict spatial representation of tick populations.
My research addressed the lack of adequate public tick bite prevention practices by evaluating whether a free photo-based surveillance system (TickSpotters crowd-sourced surveillance system) can provide an effective, large-scale health promotion surveillance tool according to metrics of theoretical behavior change models (e.g. Health Belief Model/Protection Motivation Theory of personal empowerment and the theory of planned behavior), what tick encounter risks can be identified, and whether the tool can provide and accurately predict spatial representation of tick populations.
- Kopsco HL, Xu G, Luo CY, Rich SM, & Mather TN. 2020. Crowdsourced Photographs as an Effective Method for Large-Scale Passive Tick Surveillance. Journal of Medical Entomology, 57(6), 1955–1963. https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjaa140
- Kopsco HL, Duhaime RJ, & Mather TN. 2020. Assessing Public Tick Identification Ability and Tick Bite Riskiness Using Passive Photograph-Based Crowdsourced Tick Surveillance. Journal of Medical Entomology. https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjaa196
- Kopsco HL. (2020). Evaluation of a Photograph-Based Citizen Science Program as a Tick Surveillance and Prevention Education Tool [University of Rhode Island]. https://search.proquest.com/openview/64c8cffce5736c0d35dd12161215328b/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y
- Kopsco HL, Duhaime R, Mather TN. 2021. An analysis of companion animal tick encounters as revealed by photograph-based crowdsourced data. Veterinary Medicine and Science. https://doi.org/10.1002/vms3.586.
- Kopsco, HL, Duhaime, RJ, Mather, TN. 2021. Crowdsourced Tick Image-Informed Updates to U.S. County Records of Three Medically Important Tick Species. Journal of Medical Entomology. https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjab082
- Kopsco HL, Mather TN. 2021. Tick-Borne Disease Prevention Behaviors Among Participants in a Tick Surveillance System Compared with a Sample Of Master Gardeners. Journal of Community Health. https://rdcu.be/cAJxG
Tick abundance on mice in backyards treated with different acaricides
This project examines tick infestations on white-footed mice collected from backyards sprayed with different acaricide treatments, and seeks to identify factors related to increased tick abundance found on rodent hosts in these environments.
This project examines tick infestations on white-footed mice collected from backyards sprayed with different acaricide treatments, and seeks to identify factors related to increased tick abundance found on rodent hosts in these environments.
Borrelia infection in resident and migratory birds
My master's research examined blood samples collected from passerine birds in New Jersey during different seasons to understand the prevalence of Borrelia spp. infection in avian blood and Ixodes ticks collected from birds.
My master's research examined blood samples collected from passerine birds in New Jersey during different seasons to understand the prevalence of Borrelia spp. infection in avian blood and Ixodes ticks collected from birds.
- Kopsco, HL. 2014. Are New Jersey Birds Involved in the Enzootic Cycle of Lyme Disease? Montclair State University.