Major
Biology
Anticipated Graduation Year
2022
Access Type
Open Access
Abstract
The threat of increased human and rat population density coupled with the high probability of flooding, based on future climate predictions, could put the Chicago Metropolitan area at risk for a Leptospirosis outbreak. Understanding the relationship between residents' knowledge, concern, and exposure to rat-associated diseases can help monitor and mitigate at-risk behavior that increases the likelihood of spillover events. Using survey data from The Chicago Rat Project, partners with the Lincoln Park Zoo, this study identifies residents' lack of knowledge surrounding Leptospirosis is independent of possible exposure risk or concern regarding rat zoonotic diseases.
Community Partners
Lincoln Park Zoo
Faculty Mentors & Instructors
Joe Milanovich, Assistant Professor, Department of Biology
Supported By
Kim Fake, Wildlife Research Coordinator, Urban Wildlife Institute, Lincoln Park Zoo; Jacqueline Buckley, One Health Research Coordinator, Urban Wildlife Institute, Lincoln Park Zoo; Maureen Murray, Wildlife Disease Ecologist, Urban Wildlife Institute, Lincoln Park Zoo
UWI Fall 2021 Research Paper
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
Relationships between exposure, knowledge, and concern in regards to a rat zoonotic disease as determined by a survey of Chicago Residents.
The threat of increased human and rat population density coupled with the high probability of flooding, based on future climate predictions, could put the Chicago Metropolitan area at risk for a Leptospirosis outbreak. Understanding the relationship between residents' knowledge, concern, and exposure to rat-associated diseases can help monitor and mitigate at-risk behavior that increases the likelihood of spillover events. Using survey data from The Chicago Rat Project, partners with the Lincoln Park Zoo, this study identifies residents' lack of knowledge surrounding Leptospirosis is independent of possible exposure risk or concern regarding rat zoonotic diseases.