Howard Ginsberg, Ph.D.
Howie is a Scientist Emeritus with the Eastern Ecological Science Center.
His research explores transmission dynamics and factors that influence human exposure to vector-borne zoonotic pathogens, so as to develop efficient approaches to surveillance and management. He also studies bee foraging ecology and faunistic trends.
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. in entomology from Cornell University in 1979.
Honors and Awards
Dr. Ginsberg received the Director’s Award for Natural Resource Research, 1999, from the U.S. National Park Service.
Distinguished Service Award, 2021, from the U.S. Department of the Interior.
Science and Products
Disease Decision Analysis and Research
The Disease Decision Analysis and Research group is a multi-disciplinary team based out of the Eastern Ecological Science Center whose strengths are in ecology, decision sciences and quantitative modeling.
COVID-19 Pathways and Wildlife Dynamics
Below are the USGS 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) research projects related to COVID-19 pathways and wildlife dynamics. Select tabs above for related items.
Bees of the Northeastern U.S.
Declines of pollinators have engendered worldwide concern, but trends in the faunas of most insect pollinators, including bees, remain uncertain. We are studying the bee fauna of southern Rhode Island to provide baseline information about the current fauna, and information about bee-flower interactions.
Environmental Management of Vector-borne Diseases
Effective management programs for vector-borne pathogens, such as West Nile Virus and the Lyme disease spirochete, are necessary to protect public health. However, some vector control methods, such as landscape manipulations and pesticide applications, can also adversely affect nontarget species and environmentally sensitive natural systems. Efficient targeting and integration of vector control...
Vector-borne Disease Research
Lyme disease is the most prevalent vector-borne disease in North America, with about 300,000 cases per year in the U.S. We are studying transmission of the spirochete that causes this disease among wild animals and the blacklegged tick vectors, to determine why Lyme disease is common in the northeast and northern Midwest but rare in the south, even though blacklegged ticks are present in all of...
Blacklegged tick nymph densities, tickborne pathogen prevalence, and white-tailed deer densities in eight national parks in the eastern United States from 2014-2022
The data presented here are blacklegged tick nymph densities, white-tailed deer densities, and Borrelia burgdorferi (causative agent of Lyme disease) prevalences for eight national parks in the eastern United States from 2014-2022.
Filter Total Items: 109
Deer management generally reduces densities of nymphal Ixodes scapularis, but not prevalence of infection with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto
Human Lyme disease–primarily caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.) in North America–is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States. Research on risk mitigation strategies during the last three decades has emphasized methods to reduce densities of the primary vector in eastern North America, the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis). Controlling white-tailed
Authors
Alynn Martin, Danielle Buttke, Jordan Raphael, Kelsey Taylor, Sarah Maes, Christina M. Parise, Howard Ginsberg, Paul Cross
Modeling of historical and current distributions of lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum (Acari: Ixodidae), is consistent with ancestral range recovery
The lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum L., is a three-host hard tick notorious for aggressive feeding behavior. In the early to mid-20th century, this species’ range was mostly limited to the southern USA. Since the 1950s, A. americanum has been detected in many new localities in the western, northcentral, and northeastern regions of the country. To examine the influence of climate on this appar
Authors
Ilia Rochlin, Andrea Egizi, Howard Ginsberg
Using surrogate insects in acid bioassays for development of new controls for Varroa destructor (Arachnida: Varroidae)
Resistance to traditional synthetic compounds by Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman and shortcomings of the organic acid class of acaracides commonly used in varroa management requires continual development of new controls. V. destructor, however, are difficult to obtain for use in control bioassays because they are obligate parasites that cannot be easily reared outside of a honey bee colony.
Authors
Julia Vieira, Casey L. Johnson, Elizabeth M. Varkonyi, Howard Ginsberg, Kassie Picard, Mattew Kiesewetter, Steven R. Alm
Potential effects of climate change on tick-borne diseases in Rhode Island
Human cases of tick-borne diseases have been increasing in the United States. In particular, the incidence of Lyme disease, the major vector-borne disease in Rhode Island, has risen, along with cases of babesiosis and anaplasmosis, all vectored by the blacklegged tick. These increases might relate, in part, to climate change, although other environmental changes in the northeast (land use as it re
Authors
Howard Ginsberg, Jannelle Couret, Jason Garrett, Thomas N. Mather, Roger A. LeBrun
Selective host attachment by Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae): Tick-lizard associations in the southeastern United States
Questing behavior and host associations of immature blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis Say, from the southeastern United States are known to differ from those in the north. To elucidate these relationships we describe host associations of larval and nymphal I. scapularis from 8 lizard species sampled from 5 sites in the southeastern U.S. Larvae and nymphs attached in greater numbers to larger li
Authors
Howard Ginsberg, Graham J. Hickling, Genevieve Pang, Jean I. Tsao, Meghan Fitzgerald, Breann Ross, Eric L. Rulison, Russell L. Burke
Why Lyme disease is common in the northern US, but rare in the south: The roles of host choice, host-seeking behavior, and tick density
Lyme disease is common in the northeastern United States, but rare in the southeast, even though the tick vector is found in both regions. Infection prevalence of Lyme spirochetes in host-seeking ticks, an important component to the risk of Lyme disease, is also high in the northeast and northern midwest, but declines sharply in the south. As ticks must acquire Lyme spirochetes from infected verte
Authors
Howard Ginsberg, Graham J. Hickling, Russell L. Burke, Nicholas H. Ogden, Lorenza Beati, Roger A. LeBrun, Isis M. Arsnoe, Rick Gerhold, Seungeun Han, Kaetlyn Jackson, Lauren Maestas, Teresa Moody, Genevieve Pang, Breann Ross, Eric L. Rulison, Jean I. Tsao
Possible effects of climate change on ixodid ticks and the pathogens they transmit: Predictions and observations
The global climate has been changing over the last century due to greenhouse gas emissions and will continue to change over this century, accelerating without effective global efforts to reduce emissions. Ticks and tick-borne diseases (TTBDs) are inherently climate-sensitive due to the sensitivity of tick lifecycles to climate. Key direct climate and weather sensitivities include survival of indiv
Authors
Nicholas H. Ogden, Charles B. Beard, Howard S. Ginsberg, Jean I. Tsao
Seasonality of acarological risk of exposure to Borrelia miyamotoi from questing life stages of Ixodes scapularis collected from Wisconsin and Massachusetts, USA
Measures of acarological risk of exposure to Ixodes scapularis-borne disease agents typically focus on nymphs; however, the relapsing fever group spirochete, Borrelia miyamotoi can be transmitted transovarially, and I. scapularis larvae are capable of transmitting B. miyamotoi to their hosts. To quantify the larval contribution to acarological risk, relative to nymphs and adults, we collected ques
Authors
Seungeun Han, Graham J. Hickling, Nicholas H. Ogden, Howard S. Ginsberg, Vishvapali Kobbekaduwa, Eric L. Rulison, Lorenza Beati, Jean I. Tsao
Spatiotemporal modeling of dengue fever risk in Puerto Rico
Dengue Fever (DF) is a mosquito vector transmitted flavivirus and a reemerging global public health threat. Although several studies have addressed the relation between climatic and environmental factors and the epidemiology of DF, or looked at purely spatial or time series analysis, this article presents a joint spatio-temporal epidemiological analysis. Our approach accounts for both temporal and
Authors
Gavino Puggioni, Jannelle Couret, Emily Serman, Ali S Akanda, Howard S. Ginsberg
Biological control of Aedes mosquito larvae with carnivorous aquatic plant, Utricularia macrorhiza
BackgroundBiological controls with predators of larval mosquito vectors have historically focused almost exclusively on insectivorous animals, with few studies examining predatory plants as potential larvacidal agents. In this study, we experimentally evaluate a generalist plant predator of North America, Utricularia macrorhiza, the common bladderwort, and evaluate its larvacidal efficiency for th
Authors
Jannelle Couret, Marco Notarangelo, Sarashwathi Veera, Noah LeClaire-Conway, Howard S. Ginsberg, Roger A. LeBrun
Prioritizing water security in the management of vector borne diseases: Lessons from Oaxaca, Mexico
Changes in human water use, along with temperature and rainfall patterns, are facilitating habitat spread and distribution of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, the primary vectors for the transmission of Dengue, Chikungunya, and Zika viruses in the Americas. Artificial containers and wetspots provide major sources of mosquito larval habitat in residential areas. Mosquito abatement and
Authors
Ali S Akanda, Kristine D. Johnson, Howard S. Ginsberg, Janelle Couret
Local abundance of Ixodes scapularis in forests: Effects of environmental moisture, vegetation characteristics, and host abundance
Ixodes scapularis is the primary vector of Lyme disease spirochetes in eastern and central North America, and local densities of this tick can affect human disease risk. We sampled larvae and nymphs from sites in Massachusetts and Wisconsin, USA, using flag/drag devices and by collecting ticks from hosts, and measured environmental variables to evaluate the environmental factors that affect local
Authors
Howard S. Ginsberg, Eric L. Rulison, Jasmine L. Miller, Genevieve Pang, Isis M. Arsnoe, Graham J. Hickling, Nicholas H. Ogden, Roger A. LeBrun, Jean I. Tsao
Science and Products
Disease Decision Analysis and Research
The Disease Decision Analysis and Research group is a multi-disciplinary team based out of the Eastern Ecological Science Center whose strengths are in ecology, decision sciences and quantitative modeling.
COVID-19 Pathways and Wildlife Dynamics
Below are the USGS 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) research projects related to COVID-19 pathways and wildlife dynamics. Select tabs above for related items.
Bees of the Northeastern U.S.
Declines of pollinators have engendered worldwide concern, but trends in the faunas of most insect pollinators, including bees, remain uncertain. We are studying the bee fauna of southern Rhode Island to provide baseline information about the current fauna, and information about bee-flower interactions.
Environmental Management of Vector-borne Diseases
Effective management programs for vector-borne pathogens, such as West Nile Virus and the Lyme disease spirochete, are necessary to protect public health. However, some vector control methods, such as landscape manipulations and pesticide applications, can also adversely affect nontarget species and environmentally sensitive natural systems. Efficient targeting and integration of vector control...
Vector-borne Disease Research
Lyme disease is the most prevalent vector-borne disease in North America, with about 300,000 cases per year in the U.S. We are studying transmission of the spirochete that causes this disease among wild animals and the blacklegged tick vectors, to determine why Lyme disease is common in the northeast and northern Midwest but rare in the south, even though blacklegged ticks are present in all of...
Blacklegged tick nymph densities, tickborne pathogen prevalence, and white-tailed deer densities in eight national parks in the eastern United States from 2014-2022
The data presented here are blacklegged tick nymph densities, white-tailed deer densities, and Borrelia burgdorferi (causative agent of Lyme disease) prevalences for eight national parks in the eastern United States from 2014-2022.
Filter Total Items: 109
Deer management generally reduces densities of nymphal Ixodes scapularis, but not prevalence of infection with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto
Human Lyme disease–primarily caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.) in North America–is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States. Research on risk mitigation strategies during the last three decades has emphasized methods to reduce densities of the primary vector in eastern North America, the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis). Controlling white-tailed
Authors
Alynn Martin, Danielle Buttke, Jordan Raphael, Kelsey Taylor, Sarah Maes, Christina M. Parise, Howard Ginsberg, Paul Cross
Modeling of historical and current distributions of lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum (Acari: Ixodidae), is consistent with ancestral range recovery
The lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum L., is a three-host hard tick notorious for aggressive feeding behavior. In the early to mid-20th century, this species’ range was mostly limited to the southern USA. Since the 1950s, A. americanum has been detected in many new localities in the western, northcentral, and northeastern regions of the country. To examine the influence of climate on this appar
Authors
Ilia Rochlin, Andrea Egizi, Howard Ginsberg
Using surrogate insects in acid bioassays for development of new controls for Varroa destructor (Arachnida: Varroidae)
Resistance to traditional synthetic compounds by Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman and shortcomings of the organic acid class of acaracides commonly used in varroa management requires continual development of new controls. V. destructor, however, are difficult to obtain for use in control bioassays because they are obligate parasites that cannot be easily reared outside of a honey bee colony.
Authors
Julia Vieira, Casey L. Johnson, Elizabeth M. Varkonyi, Howard Ginsberg, Kassie Picard, Mattew Kiesewetter, Steven R. Alm
Potential effects of climate change on tick-borne diseases in Rhode Island
Human cases of tick-borne diseases have been increasing in the United States. In particular, the incidence of Lyme disease, the major vector-borne disease in Rhode Island, has risen, along with cases of babesiosis and anaplasmosis, all vectored by the blacklegged tick. These increases might relate, in part, to climate change, although other environmental changes in the northeast (land use as it re
Authors
Howard Ginsberg, Jannelle Couret, Jason Garrett, Thomas N. Mather, Roger A. LeBrun
Selective host attachment by Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae): Tick-lizard associations in the southeastern United States
Questing behavior and host associations of immature blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis Say, from the southeastern United States are known to differ from those in the north. To elucidate these relationships we describe host associations of larval and nymphal I. scapularis from 8 lizard species sampled from 5 sites in the southeastern U.S. Larvae and nymphs attached in greater numbers to larger li
Authors
Howard Ginsberg, Graham J. Hickling, Genevieve Pang, Jean I. Tsao, Meghan Fitzgerald, Breann Ross, Eric L. Rulison, Russell L. Burke
Why Lyme disease is common in the northern US, but rare in the south: The roles of host choice, host-seeking behavior, and tick density
Lyme disease is common in the northeastern United States, but rare in the southeast, even though the tick vector is found in both regions. Infection prevalence of Lyme spirochetes in host-seeking ticks, an important component to the risk of Lyme disease, is also high in the northeast and northern midwest, but declines sharply in the south. As ticks must acquire Lyme spirochetes from infected verte
Authors
Howard Ginsberg, Graham J. Hickling, Russell L. Burke, Nicholas H. Ogden, Lorenza Beati, Roger A. LeBrun, Isis M. Arsnoe, Rick Gerhold, Seungeun Han, Kaetlyn Jackson, Lauren Maestas, Teresa Moody, Genevieve Pang, Breann Ross, Eric L. Rulison, Jean I. Tsao
Possible effects of climate change on ixodid ticks and the pathogens they transmit: Predictions and observations
The global climate has been changing over the last century due to greenhouse gas emissions and will continue to change over this century, accelerating without effective global efforts to reduce emissions. Ticks and tick-borne diseases (TTBDs) are inherently climate-sensitive due to the sensitivity of tick lifecycles to climate. Key direct climate and weather sensitivities include survival of indiv
Authors
Nicholas H. Ogden, Charles B. Beard, Howard S. Ginsberg, Jean I. Tsao
Seasonality of acarological risk of exposure to Borrelia miyamotoi from questing life stages of Ixodes scapularis collected from Wisconsin and Massachusetts, USA
Measures of acarological risk of exposure to Ixodes scapularis-borne disease agents typically focus on nymphs; however, the relapsing fever group spirochete, Borrelia miyamotoi can be transmitted transovarially, and I. scapularis larvae are capable of transmitting B. miyamotoi to their hosts. To quantify the larval contribution to acarological risk, relative to nymphs and adults, we collected ques
Authors
Seungeun Han, Graham J. Hickling, Nicholas H. Ogden, Howard S. Ginsberg, Vishvapali Kobbekaduwa, Eric L. Rulison, Lorenza Beati, Jean I. Tsao
Spatiotemporal modeling of dengue fever risk in Puerto Rico
Dengue Fever (DF) is a mosquito vector transmitted flavivirus and a reemerging global public health threat. Although several studies have addressed the relation between climatic and environmental factors and the epidemiology of DF, or looked at purely spatial or time series analysis, this article presents a joint spatio-temporal epidemiological analysis. Our approach accounts for both temporal and
Authors
Gavino Puggioni, Jannelle Couret, Emily Serman, Ali S Akanda, Howard S. Ginsberg
Biological control of Aedes mosquito larvae with carnivorous aquatic plant, Utricularia macrorhiza
BackgroundBiological controls with predators of larval mosquito vectors have historically focused almost exclusively on insectivorous animals, with few studies examining predatory plants as potential larvacidal agents. In this study, we experimentally evaluate a generalist plant predator of North America, Utricularia macrorhiza, the common bladderwort, and evaluate its larvacidal efficiency for th
Authors
Jannelle Couret, Marco Notarangelo, Sarashwathi Veera, Noah LeClaire-Conway, Howard S. Ginsberg, Roger A. LeBrun
Prioritizing water security in the management of vector borne diseases: Lessons from Oaxaca, Mexico
Changes in human water use, along with temperature and rainfall patterns, are facilitating habitat spread and distribution of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, the primary vectors for the transmission of Dengue, Chikungunya, and Zika viruses in the Americas. Artificial containers and wetspots provide major sources of mosquito larval habitat in residential areas. Mosquito abatement and
Authors
Ali S Akanda, Kristine D. Johnson, Howard S. Ginsberg, Janelle Couret
Local abundance of Ixodes scapularis in forests: Effects of environmental moisture, vegetation characteristics, and host abundance
Ixodes scapularis is the primary vector of Lyme disease spirochetes in eastern and central North America, and local densities of this tick can affect human disease risk. We sampled larvae and nymphs from sites in Massachusetts and Wisconsin, USA, using flag/drag devices and by collecting ticks from hosts, and measured environmental variables to evaluate the environmental factors that affect local
Authors
Howard S. Ginsberg, Eric L. Rulison, Jasmine L. Miller, Genevieve Pang, Isis M. Arsnoe, Graham J. Hickling, Nicholas H. Ogden, Roger A. LeBrun, Jean I. Tsao