| Research Interests: |
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Tick-borne Pathogen
Studies: Lyme
disease, the most common tick-borne disease in the U.S., has
been spreading rapidly in the Northeast and upper Midwestern
states over the last decade. My research is based on searching
for possible evolutionary mechanisms for the spread of the disease.
Research students and I have previously looked at the spread
of tick-borne pathogens in Wisconsin from the Kettle Moraine region, Colfax,
Nine Mile Forest, Schmeeckle Reserve, Stockton, and the Marinette / Menominee region. I work with students who investigate the
coinfection rates of tick-borne diseases, such as Babesiosis,
Human Granulocytic Ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease and Encephalitis, in areas of Wisconsin where deer tick populations are spreading. DNA fingerprinting,
PCR, and DNA Sequencing methods are used to identify the different
pathogens in ticks, birds, mice, and other mammals in Wisconsin.
Other research methods include flagging, trapping, tick dissection,
cell culturing, RAPDs, and gel electrophoresis.
Identification of Borrelia strains in Deer Ticks: Students and I have been sequencing genes from Borrelia found in deer ticks from Wisconsin. Some sequences show muliple base types at different sites, indicating that there are multiple variants (strains) of Borrelia in some of our deer ticks. Students and I will be cloning PCR products and sequencing different clones to determine the number of strains of borrelia in each deer tick and identify what strains are found within each tick. This information will be used to help determine the population distribution of Borrelia strains in Wisconsin.
Lyme Disease Borreliae Population Study: Several strains of Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, have been identified in Wisconsin. Students and I are investigating the movement of these strains across the state. Population distributions of these strains can determine whether different strains are more localized, where they may originated, and perhaps how long they've been evolving in this state.
Deer Tick Population
Study: Ticks
from the Northeastern part of Wisconsin (Marinette) behave very
differently from those typically found in the Northwest (Spooner),
whereas they quest earlier in the spring and become dormant sooner
in the fall. Lyme disease has been found in both areas. Students
and I are interested in finding out whether these eastern ticks
are from a distinct population or are mixing with the western
ticks. We are comparing DNA sequences of individuals from
both areas and including Central Wisconsin for this analysis. |
| Publications: |
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Caporale, D.A., C.M. Johnson, and B.J. Millard. 2005. Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorfer (Spirochaetares: Spirochaetacae) in Southern Kettle Moraine Forest, Wisconsin and Characterization of Strain W97F51. J. Med. Entomol.
42(3): 457-472.
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Holman, M.S., D.A. Caporale , J. Goldberg, E. Lacombe, C. Lubelczyk, P.W. Rand, and R.P. Smith. 2004. Prevalence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum , Babesia microti, and Borrelia burgdoreri in deer ticks in southern coastal Maine. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 10(4): 744-746.
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Blake, S. J.-Y. Ma, D.A. Caporale,
S. Jairath and B.L. Nicholson. 2001. Phylogenetic relationships
of aquatic birnaviruses based on deduced amino acid sequences
of genome segment A cDNA. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms. 45:
89-102.
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- Caporale,
D.A. 2001. Techniques in molecular biology: A laboratory manual.
Department of Biology, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point,
WI.
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- Caporale, D.A. 1999. Writing in
Biology. Department of Biology, University of Wisconsin-Stevens
Point.
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- Armstrong, P.M., P. Katavalos,
D.A. Caporale, R.P. Smith, A. Spielman, and S.R. Telford
III. 1998. Diversity of Babesia infecting deer ticks (Ixodes
dammini). American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
58(6): 739-742.
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- Caporale,
D.A. 1998. Classical and Molecular Approaches to Genetics: A
Laboratory Manual. University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, WI.
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- Caporale,
D.A., R. Van Beneden, B.F. Beal, R. Roxby. 1997.
Population structure of Mya arenaria along the New England
coastline. Molecular Marine Biology and Biotechnology 6(1): 33-39.
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- Smith, R.P., P.W. Rand, E.H. Lacombe,
S.R. Morris, D.H. Holmes, D.A. Caporale. 1996. Role of
bird migration in the long distance dispersal of Ixodes dammini,
the vector of Lyme disease. Journal of Infectious Diseases. 174:
221-224.
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- Caporale,
D.A., S.M. Rich, A. Spielman, S.R. Telford III, and T.D. Kocher.
1995. Discriminating between Ixodes ticks by means of
mitochondrial DNA sequences. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution.
4:361-365.
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- Rich, S.M., D.A. Caporale,
S.R. Telford III, T.D. Kocher, D.L. Hartl, and A. Spielman. 1995.
Distribution of the Ixodes ricinus-like ticks of
eastern North America. Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences, USA. 92(14): 6284-6288.
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- Caporale,
D.A. Genetic variation of the Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia
burgdorferi, and its tick vector, Ixodes dammini.
1994. Ph.D. Dissertation, University of New Hampshire. 165 pp.
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- Caporale,
D.A., T.D. Kocher, R.P. Smith, P.W. Rand, and E.H. Lacombe. 1994.
OspB sequence variation of Borrelia burgdorferi within
islands in the Gulf of Maine. Pp. 175-180 in Lyme Borreliosis.
J.S. Axford and D.H.E. Rees (eds.), Plenum Press, N.Y.
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- Caporale,
D.A., and T.D. Kocher. 1994. Sequence variation in the outer
surface protein genes of Borrelia burgdorferi. Molecular
Biology and Evolution 11(1): 51-64.
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- Rand, P.W., E.H. Lacombe, R.P.
Smith, Jr., S.M. Rich, C.W. Kilpatrick, C.A. Dragoni, and D.A.
Caporale. 1993. Competence of Peromyscus maniculatus
(Rodentia:Cricetidae) as a reservoir host for Borrelia burgdorferi
(Spirochaetares: Spirochaetaceae) in the wild. Journal of Medical
Entomology 30(3): 614-618.
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