Comparative ecological analysis and predictive modeling of tick-borne pathogens

Tick-borne diseases constitute the predominant vector-borne health threat in North America. Recent observations have noted a significant expansion in the range of the black-legged tick (Ixodes scapularis Say, Acari: Ixodidae), alongside a rise in the incidence of diseases caused by its vectored pathogens: Borrelia burgdorferi (Spirochaetales: Spirochaetaceae), Babesia microti (Piroplasmida: Babesiidae), and Anaplasma phagocytophilium (Rickettsiales: Anaplasmataceae), the causative agents of Lyme disease, babesiosis, and anaplasmosis, respectively. Prior research identified environmental features that influence the ecological dynamics of I. scapularis and B. burgdorferi that can be used to predict the distribution and abundance of these organisms, and thus Lyme disease risk. In contrast, there is a paucity of research into the environmental determinants of B. microti and A. phagocytophilium. Here we use over a decade of surveillance data to model the impact of environmental features on t..., , , # Comparative ecological analysis and predictive modeling of tick-borne pathogens

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.0zpc8675c](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.0zpc8675c)

We have submitted our raw tick collection and environmental data (**DIN_All.csv**), code for training and evaluating biogeographic models (**Pathogen_Scripts.py**), and supplementary data describing features used by trained models (**Pathogen_Sup_Table.csv**). Required packages can be found in **pathogen.yml**.

## Description of contained files

### **DIN\_All.csv**

Contained are tick collection data including

* Nymph - Number of nymphal *Ixodes scapularis* ticks collected,
* BB_Pos - Number of ticks infected with *Borrelia burgdorferi*,
* BM_Pos - Number of ticks infected with *Babesia microti*, and
* AP_Pos - Number of ticks infected with *Anaplasma phagocytophilium.*
* Units for all infection prevalences are nymphs positive for pathogen divided by the total nymphs tested.

Also contained are geographic, cli...