MaineHealth Vector-Borne Disease Lab Showcases Research On Tick-Borne Illness

SCARBOROUGH, Maine - Scientists with the Vector-Borne Disease Lab at the MaineHealth Institute for Research (MHIR) are taking part in several studies, surveys and other research projects this spring and summer to help better understand ticks and the diseases they carry.

Among the projects:

• Dr. Robert Smith, the director of the Vector-Borne Disease Lab, is the clinical operations lead for a five-year study of post-treatment Lyme disease in North America. MaineHealth is a collaborating institution with Tufts University School of Medicine in the study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, that is currently enrolling participants with new onset of Lyme disease. The goal is to understand mechanisms causing delayed recovery after treatment and to search for biomarkers that are different in patients who go on to have persistent Lyme disease symptoms from those who fully recover from the disease. Participants must have new onset of Lyme disease symptoms and be referred by a physician.
• Vector Ecologist Chuck Lubelczyk is managing a five-year community-based tick control research project that is supported by the CDC with study sites in Maine and Connecticut. He also is coordinating Maine's statewide tick and mosquito surveillance efforts, with several members of lab submitting ticks and mosquitoes for testing at the state Environmental Health and Testing Laboratory in Augusta. They are watching to see if the lone star tick, whose bite can cause an allergy to red meat, has made its way to Maine.
• Staff Scientist Rebecca Robich, PhD, is investigating the survival tactics of the blacklegged tick to see if it produces "natural antifreeze" to endure Maine's harsh winters. Beyond her work on winter resilience, Dr. Robich continues to work on Powassan virus and is launching a new study to compare virus strains from coastal and inland sites across the state. By mapping the evolving landscape of tick-borne threats, her team aims to better protect the public. This summer, Dr. Robich will mentor a group of college students, providing them with hands-on experience in the field and the lab.
• Staff Scientist Susan Elias, PhD, provides support to Dr. Smith and colleagues on clinical studies of Lyme disease, anaplasmosis and babesiosis. She is working with Dr. Smith and Dr. Robich and staff to initiate a study of Powassan infection in people bitten by infected ticks. She recently published maps showing spatial hotspots of tick-borne illness in Maine.

Maine had a record 4,257 preliminary cases of Lyme disease along with 1,604 preliminary cases of anaplasmosis and 352 preliminary cases of babesiosis in 2025, according to the Maine CDC. People seeking additional information about ticks and tick control methods can find resources on the MHIR website including:

• Tips on controlling ticks and mosquitoes, as well as how to remove attached ticks
• Descriptions of ticks in Maine
• Information on tick-borne diseases

The CDC also has several resources with more information on vector-borne diseases.

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About MaineHealth
MaineHealth is a not-for-profit, integrated health system whose vision is, "Working together so our communities are the healthiest in America," and is committed to a mission of providing high-quality affordable care, educating tomorrow's caregivers and researching better ways to provide care. MaineHealth includes a Level 1 trauma medical center, eight additional licensed hospitals, comprehensive pediatric care services, an extensive behavioral health care network, diagnostic services as well as home health, hospice and senior care services. With more than 2,000 employed providers and approximately 23,000 care team members, MaineHealth provides preventive care, diagnosis and treatment to 1.1 million residents in Maine and New Hampshire. MaineHealth hospitals include MaineHealth Behavioral Health at Spring Harbor in Westbrook, MaineHealth Franklin Hospital in Farmington, MaineHealth Lincoln Hospital in Damariscotta, MaineHealth Maine Medical Center in Portland, Biddeford and Sanford, MaineHealth Memorial Hospital in North Conway, N.H., MaineHealth Mid Coast Hospital in Brunswick, MaineHealth Pen Bay Hospital in Rockport, MaineHealth Stephens Hospital in Norway and MaineHealth Waldo Hospital in Belfast. MaineHealth also includes the MaineHealth Barbara Bush Children's, MaineHealth Behavioral Health in Westbrook, MaineHealth Home Health and Hospice in Saco, the MaineHealth Institute for Research in Scarborough, the MaineHealth Medical Group and MaineHealth NorDx in Scarborough. MaineHealth affiliates include MaineGeneral Health in Augusta and Waterville. It is also a significant stakeholder in the MaineHealth Accountable Care Organization in Portland and a joint venture partner in the New England Rehabilitation Hospital in Portland.