Author: Eva Berryhill | Major: Animal Science | Semester: Fall 2024
My name is Eva Berryhill, and I am currently a senior majoring in Animal Science with a Pre-professional Science concentration in the Dale Bumpers College of Food, Agricultural, and Life Sciences. I am working to complete my research with my mentor, Dr. Kelly Loftin, who is a faculty member in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology. I have been working on my research in the Fall 2024 semester. Afterwards, I plan to graduate with my Bachelor’s degree in May 2025, and then I will be attending veterinary school.
Eva Berryhill preparing tick samples for testing
When I was first trying to determine what topic I wanted to complete research on, I knew that I had an interest in diseases spread by insects. Because of this, I reached out to Dr. Loftin. After meeting with him and discussing several research possibilities, we were able to decide on my current project where I will be assessing the prevalence of Ehrlichia species in ticks associated with the disease, canine ehrlichiosis, in Arkansas.
For my project, I collected ticks off host canines visiting veterinary clinics for routine procedures and examinations and from environmental locations that dogs would frequent. After I identified the ticks by species, sex, and stage, I then tested them using PCR for the Ehrlichia species known to cause canine ehrlichiosis which are E. canis, E. chaffeensis, and E. ewingii. For my project, I also collected data from SNAP 4DX tests done on dogs to see if they were positive for the canine ehrlichiosis or not. This was done to determine the prevalence of canine ehrlichiosis in dogs in Arkansas. Because of this, I was able to work with three different veterinary clinics to collect ticks and testing data.
When I first started my project, I knew that canine ehrlichiosis was a large problem in Arkansas. However, I was not very familiar with how the disease was spread or how common it was. While researching through literature during my project, I was able to learn about the aspects of this disease, including what species of the Ehrlichia bacteria caused this disease in dogs, what tick species were responsible for spreading the disease to dogs, and the factors that affected prevalence in the United States. Since this disease is very common in Arkansas, it is a very important topic to understand, especially for those in the veterinary field. The tick population in Arkansas is very high, and, since it is growing, it is important to understand how prevalent these Ehrlichia species are in order to prepare for how that could affect the dog population in Arkansas.
One challenge that I faced with my project was performing environmental tick collections. There are different methods of environmental collections which include using a carbon dioxide trap and dragging a cloth to collect ticks off vegetation. When I first started my project, I had very little success with environmental collections. However, after reaching out to my mentor, I was able to change my technique, and I was able to successfully complete environmental collections.
During my research project, my mentor, Dr. Loftin, has been very important in helping me to complete my project. He helped me to design my project, and he is always willing to answer any of my questions or help if I encounter a problem. In addition to this, he helped me with environmental tick collections, and he also reached out to a veterinary clinic in order to have them collect ticks and testing data. Since this was my first time to do research, Dr. Loftin taught me how to research for my thesis and how to write scientific papers. I have also had the privilege of working with Dr. Emily McDermott for my research project. Dr. McDermott has trained me to perform several laboratory skills, and she has been working with me to complete testing on the ticks that I collected to determine the prevalence of Ehrlichia species amongst them.
Working on my research project has been a very interesting and educational opportunity that I have enjoyed immensely. I hope to finish my project and defend my thesis before March 2025. After completing this project, I plan to graduate with my Bachelor’s degree in May 2025. Then, I will be attending veterinary school in order to fulfill my lifelong dream of becoming a large animal veterinarian.