Cassandra L. Olds

TL;DR: This work provides further evidence of the utility of MALDI-TOF MS to identify morphologically and genetically highly similar tick species and indicates the potential of this tool for large-scale monitoring of tick populations, species distributions and host preferences.

TL;DR: An easy to use, rapid, sensitive and specific molecular assay for field diagnosis of Napier grass Stunt Disease and two murine monoclonal antibodies with high affinity and specificity to the immunodominant membrane protein IMP of Candidatus Phytoplasma oryzae were generated.

TL;DR: Evaluation of a multivalent vaccine cocktail of tick antigens for their ability to reduce R. appendiculatus feeding success and possibly reduce tick-transmission of T. parva in a natural host-tick-parasite challenge model highlights the importance of early evaluation of anti-tick vaccine candidates in biologically relevant challenge systems using the natural tick-host-Parasite combination.

TL;DR: This draft genome sequence of “Candidatus Phytoplasma oryzae” strain Mbita1 provides insight into its genomic organization and the molecular basis of pathogenicity.

TL;DR: It is shown that R. appendiculatus ticks are able to acquire T. parva parasites from infected cattle even in the absence of detectable parasitemia, a significant constraint to improvement of livestock production in sub-Saharan Africa.