EARLY CAREER PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION SYMPOSIUM

An <Extension= of One Health:

Leveraging collaborations between research and
extension to prevent and control vector-borne
diseases

Karen C. Poh
Pennsylvania State University
Animal Disease Research Unit, USDA-ARS
ONE HEALTH
A collaborative, multisectoral, and transdisciplinary
approach—working at the local, regional, national, and
global levels—with the goal of achieving optimal health
outcomes recognizing the interconnection between
people, animals, plants, and their shared environment.
CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION
WHY IS ONE
HEALTH
IMPORTANT?
Why do we have more
zoonotic pathogen
transmission?
Population continues to grow
More people living closer together
Changes in climate and land use
More global travel and trade
Changes in relationships with animals

CDC, 2022
VECTOR-BORNE
DISEASES ARE A ONE
HEALTH ISSUE
BITES FROM VECTORS CAN MAKE YOU SICK
Ticks, mosquitoes, fleas, flies, and other vectors can feed on people and
animals and transmit pathogens that cause VBD's, which have serious
impacts on the health of people and animals.

CROSS-SECTIONAL COLLABORATIONS ARE NEEDED

Human health, animal health, environmental health, and other relevant
sectors need to work together to prevent and control VBD's.

CDC, 2022
PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF
VBD'S

Pesticide Scientific Community

applications research education
WHAT IS
EXTENSION?
USDA-NIFA
Provides non-formal education and
learning activities to people throughout the
country

Present at all land-grant colleges and

universities and local county-level offices

Translates research and science into action

USDA-NIFA, 2022
HISTORY OF EXTENSION

1862: MORRILL 1914: SMITH- 1914-1945: WWI, 1950'S-2000'S TODAY

ACT LEVER ACT THE GREAT Extension was firmly Extension has
President Lincoln Congress passed the DEPRESSION, established and expanded its mission
signed the Morrill Smith-Lever Act, WWII providing a variety of and pivoted their
Act, which establishing the Extension provided services to rural roles to fit with
established the Land Extension service in a services that taught America, even with contemporary issues
Grant College cooperative the public about the fast pace of that affect their
System. agreement between farm management, technology audiences.
the USDA and how to create food advancement.
colleges. sources, product
marketing, etc. USDA-NIFA, 2022; Washington State University, 1962
A MISSING TOPIC

VECTOR-BORNE
DISEASES
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT FOR EXTENSION TO
FOCUS ON?
WHO DO VECTOR-
WHO DO VECTOR-
BORNE DISEASES
BORNE DISEASES
AFFECT?
AFFECT?
WHO DO VECTOR-
WHO DO VECTOR-
BORNE DISEASES
BORNE DISEASES
AFFECT?
AFFECT?
LITERALLY EVERYONE - YES, EVEN YOU, TOO!
 WHAT PERCENTANGE OF EXTENSION
PROGRAMS IN THE U.S. HAVE AT LEAST
ONE EXTENSION EDUCATOR OR
FACULTY MEMBER DEDICATED ONLY TO
VBD'S?

Give me your best guess!

 NOT A LOT!

< 30%
of all Extension Programs
have at least one
dedicated extension
educator and/or faculty
member dedicated to only
VBD's of people and
animals

States that have Extension agents dedicated to

VBDs: AR, AZ, FL, GA, ME, MA, MS, NC, OH, OK,
PA, RI, TX
VECTOR-BORNE 12,500
Mosquito-Borne Disease Tick-Borne Disease

DISEASE CASES IN PA
10,000

INCREASING TRENDS 7,500

Numbers of reported VBD cases in the US and PA are

increasing 5,000

Over 10,000 tick-borne disease cases reported per 2,500

year, 2016-2018
0

PA ranks #1 in the total number of tick-borne disease

04
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20
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20
20
20
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20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
cases (Lyme disease) reported in the US

CDC, 2019
What can be Extension's Role in VBD
Prevention?
TRUSTED SOURCE
TRANSLATORS
Extension is a trusted source of
Extension educators can translate
information by many communities and
scientific research results into
can often provide knowledge and
applicable actions for their
experience on approaching
audiences.
communities.

COLLABORATORS
MASS EDUCATORS
Collaborating with Extension, with an
Being a trusted source and effectively
end goal of producing more
translating science means Extension
informative products, can lead to
can provide capacities for mass
fruitful collaborations for researchers,
education.
Extension, and communities.
 CASE STUDY
Pennsylvania State University & Penn State Extension
PENN STATE VISION

EXTENSION
"We believe that all people should have access to science-
based information."

PRODUCTS & RESOURCES

Articles, publications, webinars, videos, workshops (in-person
and virtual), fact sheets, online courses, news reporting and
articles, outreach events, certifications, consultations, and more!

TOPICS COVERED
Animals and livestock; forage and food crops; trees, lawns, and
landscaping; insects, pests, and diseases; forests and wildlife;
food safety and quality; water; energy; business and operations;
community development; youth, family, and health.

Penn State Extension, 2022

 Penn State Extension Areas

Energy,
Agronomy and
4-H Youth Animal Business, and
Natural
Development Systems Community
Resources
Vitality

Food Safety Food, Families,

Horticulture
and Quality and Health

Penn State Extension, 2022

 WHAT IS PENN STATE EXTENSION
DOING ABOUT VBD'S?

WORKING AND LEARNING CONDUCTING RESEARCH PRODUCING PRODUCTS

TOGETHER Collaborations between Articles, fact sheets, physical
Creating the Vector-Borne researchers and Extension products, webinars, etc.
Disease Team brings together educators can answer questions
professionals with diverse from stakeholders and improve
specialties and expertise. translation from research to
application.
VBD TEAM
MEMBERS
ONE HEALTH APPROACH
Entomology
Animal sciences
Veterinary and medical professionals
Community and public health professionals
Integrated pest management
Forestry and wildlife
Marketing and advertising
Program development

CDC, 2022
TIMELINE OF THE VBD TEAM

2018 2019
Vector-Borne Disease VBD Team has their first
Team is established! Program Development
Plan (lead developers,
products, events,
publications, etc.) for the
team.
TIMELINE OF THE VBD TEAM

2018 2019
Vector-Borne Disease VBD Team has their first
Team is established! Program Development
Plan (lead developers,
products, events,
publications, etc.) for the
team.

VBD Team hosts the first

VBD workshop for
Extension educators, Vector-Borne Disease Workshop 2019
students, and
professionals.
VBD WORKSHOP
TRAIN THE TRAINER

Karen Poh Erika Machtinger Michael Skvarla Hayley Springer Hannah Tiffin

TOPICS COVERED
Vector biology
Vector-borne disease overview
Vector arthropod identification
Prevention methods for people and animals
Integrated vector management Poh and Machtinger, 2021, American Entomologist
 53.9% 77.3%
PRE-WORKSHOP QUIZ POST-WORKSHOP QUIZ

Poh and Machtinger, 2021, American Entomologist

 INCREASE OF

43.4%
IN AVERAGE WORKSHOP
QUIZ SCORES

Overall, very high satisfaction rating

from attendees, with a 98% positive
rating.
Recommendation: Survey attendees
on their expectations and questions
they hope to have answered during
the workshop. Poh and Machtinger, 2021, American Entomologist
TIMELINE OF THE VBD TEAM

2018 2019 2020

Vector-Borne Disease VBD Team has their first
Team is established! Program Development
Plan (lead developers,
products, events,
publications, etc.) for the
team.
VBD Team continues to
develop products, with a
special emphasis on
virtual programming and
events.

VBD Team hosts the first

VBD workshop for
Extension educators,
students, and
professionals.
 VBD WEBINARS
EXTENSION AT HOME
"Extension at Home is a series of
webinars for you to explore new hobbies,
improve your property, and keep your
family healthy, all while enjoying the
comforts of your own home. Topics
offered cover indoor and outdoor
education."
THE TICK WEBINAR SERIES
"The Tick Webinar Series aims to educate
the public about tick species and
identification, vector-borne diseases, tick
ecology, and much more. Join the VBD
Extension Team for this informative series to
learn how to keep your home and animals
safe!"
TIMELINE OF THE VBD TEAM

2018 2019 2020

Vector-Borne Disease VBD Team has their first VBD Team continues to
Team is established! Program Development develop products, with a
Plan (lead developers, special emphasis on
products, events, virtual programming and
publications, etc.) for the events.
team.
VBD Team distributes the
VBD Team hosts the first VBD Survey to residents
State
VBD workshop for of PA to identify key
Downt Colleg
own F e
Extension educators, topics and armer
's Mar
students, and communication efforts to ket
professionals. pursue.
HIGHLIGHTS
OF THE VBD
PERCEPTIONS
Ticks, tick-borne diseases, and other VBD's are seen as

SURVEY important issues for Penn State Extension to address.

CONFIDENCE IN PREVENTION
Low confidence in protecting livestock, equines, and
themselves and their families.

COMMUNICATION ROUTES
Information dissemination techniques need to be catered
depending on the demographics of the population.

Poh, Tiffin, Evans, and Machtinger, In Prep

TIMELINE OF THE VBD TEAM
2018 2019
Vector-Borne Disease VBD Team has their first
Team is established! Program Development
Plan (lead developers,
products, events,
publications, etc.) for the
team.
VBD Team hosts the first
VBD workshop for
Extension educators,
students, and
professionals.
2020 2021
VBD Team continues to VBD Team receives
develop products, with a Science to Practice
special emphasis on Grants to work with the
virtual programming and Equine Team and the
events. Forestry/Wildlife Team.
VBD Team distributes the VBD Team receives
VBD Survey to residents Pennsylvania Center for
of PA to identify key Poultry and Livestock
topics and Excellence grant with the
communication efforts to Poultry Team.
pursue.
 VBD TEAM GRANTS
TOTAL AMOUNT AS OF TODAY: ~$275,000

WILDLIFE AND
EQUINE TEAM FORESTRY TEAM POULTRY TEAM
Tick control tools and Deer ked and tick Bed bug trap
prevention methods collections, deer ked evaluation in poultry
to control ticks and repellents, and facilities to detect
prevent tick bites on effects of repellents bed bug infestations.
horses. on deer behavior.
TIMELINE OF THE VBD TEAM
2018 2019
Vector-Borne Disease VBD Team has their first
Team is established! Program Development
Plan (lead developers,
products, events,
publications, etc.) for the
team.
VBD Team hosts the first
VBD workshop for
Extension educators,
students, and
professionals.
2020 2021 2022
VBD Team continues to VBD Team receives VBD Team receives
develop products, with a Science to Practice repeat funding for the
special emphasis on Grants to work with the Science to Practice
virtual programming and Equine Team and the Grants.
events. Forestry/Wildlife Team.
VBD continues to create
VBD Team distributes the VBD Team receives products for audiences.
VBD Survey to residents Pennsylvania Center for
of PA to identify key Poultry and Livestock VBD Team hires their first
topics and Excellence grant with the dedicated Vector-Borne
communication efforts to Poultry Team. Diseases Program
pursue. Specialist.
 DEVELOPED A PORTFOLIO OF PRODUCTS

OUTCOMES
Articles, publications, factsheets, Learn Now videos, brochures,
webinars, workshops, hands-on activities while at outreach

OF THE VBD
events, and more! Extension is often leading the translation of
our science into application for communities.

TEAM ESTABLISHED OURSELVES AS TRUSTED

SOURCE ON VBD'S
Invitations to speak at conferences, organization meetings, and
Extension events. We are also a source for the media and
communities when it comes to VBD questions in Pennsylvania.

CONDUCTED COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH

THROUGH A ONE HEALTH LENS
Working with other Extension teams to conduct research that is
of interest to researchers, Extension, and the communities we
work with. The Extension side often informs our priority topics for
product development as well as future research.
 FOR MORE
INFORMATION

AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST ARTICLE

Poh, K. C., & Machtinger, E. T. (2021). An Extension of Their Work: Extension’s Role in
Vector-Borne Disease Education. American Entomologist, 67(1), 22-25.

PENN STATE EXTENSION

https://extension.psu.edu/
 Where the Wild Things Are
One Health at the Arthropod-Wildlife Interface
Tuesday, November 15 (TODAY!)
1:30-5:30 PM
Vancouver Convention Centre, Meeting Room 215/216
 SPECIAL THANKS!
COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU!

VECTOR-BORNE DISEASE PENN STATE EXTENSION

TEAM & LEADERSHIP COLLABORATORS

Erika Machtinger (Lead) Brent Hales Equine Team

Michael Skvarla Katherine Cason Forestry/Wildlife Team
Hayley Springer Rebecca Rumbel Poultry Team
Hannah Tiffin Jessica Mackaro
Jessica Brown David Swartz
Jesse Evans Elise Gurgevich
Emily Struckhoff
All members of the team!
THANK YOU FOR
LISTENING!

Karen C. Poh
Research Entomologist
Animal Disease Research Unit
USDA-ARS

karen.poh@usda.gov

@areyoukeddingme