20 - Early investigations of Colorado Tick Fever Virus transovarial transmission in Dermacentor andersoni in Wyoming

Abstract: The Rocky Mountain Wood Tick (Dermacentor andersoni) is the only confirmed vector for Colorado Tick Fever Virus (CTFV) in the Western United States. Despite potentially high infection rates of the virus in D. andersoni, infection in humans is considered rare compared to other tick pathogens in the United States. Similarly, when compared to other tick pathogens, CTFV is not as extensively studied. In 2023, Teton County Weed & Pest District (TCWP) initiated a tick surveillance and tick pathogen testing program for the state of Wyoming to help close some of these knowledge gaps. Transovarial transmission of CTFV is one such area where knowledge is limited and reports have been mixed. During this presentation, TCWP’s preliminary investigations into CTFV transovarial transmission study methodologies will be discussed.