# positions[].organizations[].parent[].label
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

# overview
Research in the Hamer Lab broadly investigates the ecology of infectious diseases of humans, wild animals, and domestic animals, with particular attention to those transmitted by arthropod vectors (e.g. mosquitoes, ticks, kissing bugs).  We have focused primarily on vector-host interactions that lead to parasite amplification and increased disease risk.  We utilize multidisciplinary tools to studying these complex disease systems, including molecular biology, landscape epidemiology, eco-immunology, and ecological modeling.  A goal of our research is to elucidate mechanisms of transmission across space and time that facilitate ecological management of diseases with effective intervention and preventative strategies.

# keywords[]
Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

# keywords[]
30 Agricultural, Veterinary And Food Sciences

# keywords[]
Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

# keywords[]
2.2 Factors Relating To The Physical Environment

# keywords[]
2.2 Factors Relating To The Physical Environment

# keywords[]
30 Agricultural, Veterinary And Food Sciences

# keywords[]
2.2 Factors Relating To The Physical Environment

# keywords[]
30 Agricultural, Veterinary And Food Sciences

# keywords[]
3.2 Interventions To Alter Physical And Biological Environmental Risks

# keywords[]
2.2 Factors Relating To The Physical Environment

# keywords[]
30 Agricultural, Veterinary And Food Sciences

# keywords[]
2.2 Factors Relating To The Physical Environment

# keywords[]
30 Agricultural, Veterinary And Food Sciences

# keywords[]
30 Agricultural, Veterinary And Food Sciences

# educationAndTraining[].organization.label
University of Illinois at Rockford - (Rockford, Illinois, United States)

# educationAndTraining[].field
Natural Resources and environmental Sciences

# educationAndTraining[].organization.label
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign - (Urbana, Illinois, United States)

# educationAndTraining[].field
Natural Resources and Environmental Science, Wildlife Ecology

# educationAndTraining[].organization.label
Michigan State University - (East Lansing, Michigan, United States)

# educationAndTraining[].field
Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, and Behavior

# publications[].label
Fluralaner treatment of chickens kills the southern house mosquito, Culex quinquefasciatus.

# publications[].label
Genetic variation associated with mammalian feeding in Culex pipiens from a West Nile virus epidemic region in Chicago, Illinois.

# publications[].label
Terrestrial vegetation and aquatic chemistry influence larval mosquito abundance in catch basins, Chicago, USA.

# publications[].label
Fine-scale genetic variation and evolution of West Nile Virus in a transmission "hot spot" in suburban Chicago, USA.

# publications[].label
Presence of diverse Rickettsia spp. and absence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in ticks in an East Texas forest with reduced tick density associated with controlled burns.

# publications[].label
A scoping review of triatomine control for Chagas disease prevention: current and developing tools in Latin America and the United States.

# publications[].label
Comparison of DNA and Carbon and Nitrogen Stable Isotope-based Techniques for Identification of Prior Vertebrate Hosts of Ticks.

# publications[].label
The Eco-Bio-Social Factors That Modulate Aedes aegypti Abundance in South Texas Border Communities.

# publications[].label
Avian host community structure and prevalence of West Nile virus in Chicago, Illinois.

# publications[].label
The effect of anticoagulants in artificial blood meals on the mortality, fecundity, and fertility of Culex quinquefasciatus and Aedes aegypti (Culicidae).

# publications[].label
Dispersal of adult culex mosquitoes in an urban west nile virus hotspot: a mark-capture study incorporating stable isotope enrichment of natural larval habitats.

# publications[].label
No Evidence of SARS-CoV-2 Among Flies or Cockroaches in Households Where COVID-19 Positive Cases Resided.

# publications[].label
Predicting the mosquito species and vertebrate species involved in the theoretical transmission of Rift Valley fever virus in the United States.

# publications[].label
Sugar Feeding Patterns for Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae) Mosquitoes in South Texas.

# publications[].label
Co-circulation of Flanders Virus and West Nile Virus in Culex Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) from Chicago, Illinois.

# publications[].label
Multi-year evolutionary dynamics of West Nile virus in suburban Chicago, USA, 2005-2007.

# publications[].label
Evaluation of a stable isotope method to mark naturally-breeding larval mosquitoes for adult dispersal studies.

# publications[].label
Rift Valley Fever Virus, Japanese Encephalitis Virus, and African Swine Fever Virus: Three Transboundary, Vector-Borne, Veterinary Biothreats With Diverse Surveillance, and Response Capacity Needs.

# publications[].label
Quantifying the potential pathways and locations of Rift Valley fever virus entry into the United States.

# publications[].label
Advanced surveillance and preparedness to meet a new era of invasive vectors and emerging vector-borne diseases.

# publications[].label
Rapid amplification of West Nile virus: the role of hatch-year birds.

# publications[].label
Comparative Feeding and Defecation Behaviors of Trypanosoma cruzi-Infected and Uninfected Triatomines (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) from the Americas

# publications[].label
Vertebrate-Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera)-arbovirus transmission networks: Non-human feeding revealed by meta-barcoding and next-generation sequencing.

# publications[].label
Coccidian Parasites and Conservation Implications for the Endangered Whooping Crane (Grus americana).

# publications[].label
An inverse association between West Nile virus serostatus and avian malaria infection status.

# publications[].label
High Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) at One of Three Captive Cervid Facilities in Texas.

# publications[].label
Culex Flavivirus During West Nile Virus Epidemic and Interepidemic Years in Chicago, United States.

# publications[].label
Clear Resin Casting of Arthropods of Medical Importance for Use in Educational and Outreach Activities.

# publications[].label
Bionomics and Spatial Distribution of Triatomine Vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi in Texas and Other Southern States, USA.

# publications[].publisher
American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

# publications[].label
Combining Public Health Education and Disease Ecology Research: Using Citizen Science to Assess Chagas Disease Entomological Risk in Texas.

# publications[].label
Contributions of citizen scientists to arthropod vector data in the age of digital epidemiology.

# publications[].label
Surveillance of Aedes aegypti indoors and outdoors using Autocidal Gravid Ovitraps in South Texas during local transmission of Zika virus, 2016 to 2018.

# publications[].label
Avian species diversity and transmission of West Nile virus in Atlanta, Georgia.

# publications[].label
Field investigation of innate immunity in passerine birds in suburban Chicago, Illinois, USA.

# publications[].label
Identification of Avian and Hemoparasite DNA in Blood-Engorged Abdomens of Culex pipiens (Diptera; Culicidae) from a West Nile Virus Epidemic region in Suburban Chicago, Illinois.

# publications[].label
Supersuppression: Reservoir Competency and Timing of Mosquito Host Shifts Combine to Reduce Spillover of West Nile Virus.

# publications[].publisher
American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

# publications[].label
Dispersal of male and female Culex quinquefasciatus and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes using stable isotope enrichment.

# publications[].label
Persistence of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies longer than 13 months in naturally infected, captive white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), Texas.

# publications[].label
Plasmodium prevalence across avian host species is positively associated with exposure to mosquito vectors.

# publications[].label
Virulence of entomopathogenic fungi isolated from wild mosquitoes against Aedes aegypti

# publications[].label
Diversity of Wolbachia pipientis strain wPip in a genetically admixtured, above-ground Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae) population: association with form molestus ancestry and host selection patterns.

# publications[].label
Culex flavivirus and West Nile virus mosquito coinfection and positive ecological association in Chicago, United States.

# publications[].label
Host compatibility rather than vector-host-encounter rate determines the host range of avian Plasmodium parasites.

# publications[].label
Landscape and demographic determinants of Culex infection with West Nile virus during the 2012 epidemic in Dallas County, TX.

# publications[].label
Haemosporida prevalence and diversity are similar in endangered wild whooping cranes (Grus americana) and sympatric sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis).

# publications[].label
Development of an operational trap for collection, killing, and preservation of triatomines (Hemiptera: Reduviidae): the kissing bug kill trap.

# publications[].label
Household clusters of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariants contemporaneously sequenced from dogs and their owners.

# publications[].label
SURVEY OF GROSS AND HISTOPATHOLOGIC FINDINGS IN TWO WINTERING SUBPOPULATIONS OF SANDHILL CRANES ( ANTIGONE CANADENSIS).

# publications[].label
SARS-CoV-2 Infections and Viral Isolations among Serially Tested Cats and Dogs in Households with Infected Owners in Texas, USA.

# publications[].label
Daily activity patterns of movement and refuge use in Triatoma gerstaeckeri and Rhodnius prolixus (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), vectors of the Chagas disease parasite.

# publications[].label
Culicoides species community composition and infection status with parasites in an urban environment of east central Texas, USA.

# publications[].label
High Rate of Non-Human Feeding by Aedes aegypti Reduces Zika Virus Transmission in South Texas.

# publications[].label
SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 variant of concern detected in a pet dog and cat after exposure to a person with COVID-19, USA.

# publications[].label
Evaluation of a novel emergence trap to study Culex mosquitoes in urban catch basins.

# publications[].publisher
The American Mosquito Control Association

# publications[].label
Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae) survivorship following the ingestion of bird blood infected with Haemoproteus sp. parasites.

# publications[].label
WEST NILE VIRUS ANTIBODY DECAY RATE IN FREE-RANGING BIRDS.

# publications[].label
Identification of Host Bloodmeal Source in Ornithodoros turicata Dugs (Ixodida: Argasidae) Using DNA-Based and Stable Isotope-Based Techniques.

# publications[].label
Predicting West Nile Virus Infection Risk From the Synergistic Effects of Rainfall and Temperature.

# publications[].label
A Pilot Radio Telemetry Field Study of Triatomine Vectors (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) of the Chagas Disease Parasite.

# publications[].label
Ensemble species distribution modeling of Culex tarsalis (Diptera: Culicidae) in the continental United States.

# publications[].label
The unreachable doorbells of South Texas: community engagement in colonias on the US-Mexico border for mosquito control.

# publications[].label
Vector-Borne Blood Parasites of the Great-Tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus) in East-Central Texas, USA.

# publications[].label
Analysis of over 1500 triatomine vectors from across the US, predominantly Texas, for Trypanosoma cruzi infection and discrete typing units.

# publications[].label
Dispersal of female and male Aedes aegypti from discarded container habitats using a stable isotope mark-capture study design in South Texas.

# publications[].label
Risk of African Swine Fever Virus Sylvatic Establishment and Spillover to Domestic Swine in the United States.

# publications[].label
Fine-scale variation in vector host use and force of infection drive localized patterns of West Nile virus transmission.

# publications[].label
Wild birds and urban ecology of ticks and tick-borne pathogens, Chicago, Illinois, USA, 2005-2010.

# publications[].publisher
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

# publications[].label
Forage Ratio Analysis of the Southern House Mosquito in College Station, Texas.

# publications[].label
West Nile virus may have hitched a ride across the Western United States on Culex tarsalis mosquitoes.

# publications[].label
Variable coverage in an Autocidal Gravid Ovitrap intervention impacts efficacy of Aedes aegypti control.

# publications[].label
Host selection by Culex pipiens mosquitoes and West Nile virus amplification.

# publications[].publisher
American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

# publications[].label
Nestling passerines are not important hosts for amplification of West Nile Virus in Chicago, Illinois.

# publications[].label
Influence of herd immunity in the cyclical nature of arboviruses.

# publications[].label
High SARS-CoV-2 Exposure in Feline Residents of a Cat Caf in Texas, United States, 2021-2022.

# publications[].label
Heterogeneity of Mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) Control Community Size, Research Productivity, and Arboviral Diseases Across the United States.

# publications[].label
Weather variability affects abundance of larval Culex (Diptera: Culicidae) in storm water catch basins in suburban Chicago.

# publications[].label
Susceptibility of South Texas Aedes aegypti to Pyriproxyfen.

# publications[].label
Trypanosoma cruzi infection in dogs along the US-Mexico border: R0 changes with vector species composition.

# publications[].label
Local impact of temperature and precipitation on West Nile virus infection in Culex species mosquitoes in northeast Illinois, USA.

# publications[].label
Emergence of Arboviruses in the United States: The Boom and Bust of Funding, Innovation, and Capacity.

# publications[].label
Clinical and epidemiologic features of SARS-CoV-2 in dogs and cats compiled through national surveillance in the United States

# publications[].label
Helminths of American Robins, Turdus migratorius, and House Sparrows, Passer domesticus (Order: Passeriformes), from Suburban Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A

# publications[].label
Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae): a bridge vector of West Nile virus to humans.

# publications[].label
Meta-Analysis of the Relative Abundance of Nuisance and Vector Mosquitoes in Urban and Blue-Green Spaces.

# publications[].label
Salmonella Surveillance Among Great-Tailed Grackles (Quiscalus mexicanus) and Other Urban Bird Species in Eastern Texas.

# publications[].label
Global patterns of aegyptism without arbovirus.

# publications[].label
Using Stable Isotopes of Carbon and Nitrogen to Mark Wild Populations of Anopheles and Aedes Mosquitoes in South-Eastern Tanzania.

# publications[].label
Laboratory evaluation of stable isotope labeling of Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) for adult dispersal studies.

# publications[].label
MIGRANT SHOREBIRD PREDATION ON BENTHIC INVERTEBRATES ALONG THE ILLINOIS RIVER, ILLINOIS

# publications[].label
Marking mosquitoes in their natural larval sites using 2H-enriched water: a promising approach for tracking over extended temporal and spatial scales.

# publications[].label
Clinical and epidemiologic features of SARS-CoV-2 in dogs and cats compiled through national surveillance in the United States

# publications[].label
Cell fusing agent virus (Flavivirus) infection in Aedes aegypti in Texas: seasonality, comparison by trap type, and individual viral loads.

# publications[].label
Host group formation decreases exposure to vector-borne disease: a field experiment in a 'hotspot' of West Nile virus transmission.

# publications[].label
Overlap in the Seasonal Infection Patterns of Avian Malaria Parasites and West Nile Virus in Vectors and Hosts.

# publications[].publisher
American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

# publications[].label
Host Bloodmeal Identification in Cave-Dwelling Ornithodoros turicata Dugs (Ixodida: Argasidae), Texas, USA.

# publications[].label
Phenology and environmental predictors of Triatoma sanguisuga dispersal in east-central Texas, United States.

# publications[].label
Anopheles albimanus (Diptera: Culicidae) Ensemble Distribution Modeling: Applications for Malaria Elimination.

# publications[].label
Global patterns of aegyptism without arbovirus

# publications[].label
Fluralaner treatment of chickens kills the southern house mosquito, Culex quinquefasciatus

# publications[].label
A novel Haemosporida clade at the rank of genus in North American cranes (Aves: Gruiformes).

# publications[].label
Brown Dog Tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato) Infection with Endosymbiont and Human Pathogenic Rickettsia spp., Northern Mexico

# publications[].label
A quantitative synthesis of the role of birds in carrying ticks and tick-borne pathogens in North America.

# publications[].label
Reviewing the Potential Vectors and Hosts of African Swine Fever Virus Transmission in the United States.

# publications[].label
Prevalence of filarioid nematodes and trypanosomes in American robins and house sparrows, Chicago USA.

# publications[].label
Decreased small mammal and on-host tick abundance in association with invasive red imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta).

# publications[].label
The influence of weather and weather variability on mosquito abundance and infection with West Nile virus in Harris County, Texas, USA.

# publications[].label
High SARS-CoV-2 Exposure in Feline Residents of a Cat Caf in Texas, United States, 20212022

# researcherOn[].label
Dispersal, larval habitat source, and efficacy of intervention using autodissemination on Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus in South Texas

# researcherOn[].awardedBy.label
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion - (Atlanta, Georgia, United States)

# researcherOn[].awardedBy.preferredLabel
DHHS-CDC-National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promo

# researcherOn[].label
Competence of North American Arthropod Vectors for High Consequence or Transboundary Foreign Animal Diseases

# researcherOn[].awardedBy.label
United States Department of Homeland Security - (New York, New York, United States)

# researcherOn[].label
Vectorial capacity of American triatomines for multiple strains of Trypanosoma cruzi

# researcherOn[].awardedBy.label
National Institutes of Health - (Bethesda, Maryland, United States)

# researcherOn[].awardedBy.preferredLabel
DHHS-NIH-National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

# researcherOn[].label
Biology, Ecology & Management of Emerging Disease Vectors

# researcherOn[].awardedBy.label
National Institute of Food and Agriculture - (Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States)

# researcherOn[].label
Consequences of Pathogen Co-Infection in Mosquitoes on West Nile Virus Transmission

# researcherOn[].awardedBy.label
National Institutes of Health - (Bethesda, Maryland, United States)

# researcherOn[].awardedBy.preferredLabel
DHHS-NIH-National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

# researcherOn[].label
Social-Ecological Factors Influencing Receptivity to Zika Virus and the Efficacy of Interventions in Communities Along the Texas-Mexico Border

# researcherOn[].awardedBy.label
National Institutes of Health - (Bethesda, Maryland, United States)

# researcherOn[].awardedBy.preferredLabel
DHHS-NIH-National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

# streetAddress
Texas A&M University; Entomology; 2475 TAMU

# organizations[]
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

# schools[]
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

# inTheNews[].label
Catchmaster, Texas A&M team up to study role of flies in COVID-19 spread

# inTheNews[].label
Experts warn of summer threat from 'kissing bugs' and Chagas disease

# inTheNews[].label
Texas A&M research project identifies COVID-19 positive pets in Brazos County

# inTheNews[].label
300K Americans may live with a chronic, deadly disease transmitted by the 'kissing bug.' What is Chagas and why are doctors missing it?

# inTheNews[].label
Experts warn of boom in 'kissing bugs,' Chagas disease

# inTheNews[].label
A&M study identifies positive COVID-19 cases in cats

# inTheNews[].label
Texas kissing bug spikes could increase Chagas risk

# inTheNews[].label
Catchmaster, Texas A&M Collaborate on COVID-19 Fly Study

# etdChairOf[].label
Golnar, Andrew John (2014-12). Predicting the Introduction and Transmission of Rift Valley Fever Virus in the United States. Master's Thesis.

# etdChairOf[].label
Bejcek, Justin Richard (2018-05). Differentiation among the North American Triatominae Species (Vectors of the Chagas Disease Parasite) and Their Commonly Misidentified Doppelgängers. Master's Thesis.

# etdChairOf[].label
Boothe, Emily Cale (2015-05). Quantifying Dispersal Behavior and Abatement Efficacy for Culex quinquefasciatus and Aedes albopictus in College Station, Texas. Master's Thesis.