Risk Assessment and Management Solutions for Arthropod-borne and Infectious Diseases (RAMS-AID) is a Colorado State University "umbrella program" aiming to support prediction, surveillance, prevention and control of arthropod–borne and other infectious diseases. The program is led by Dr. Lars Eisen and Dr. Saul Lozano-Fuentes of Colorado State University.

RAMS-AID contacts:
Lars Eisen, Ph. D.
E-mail: lars.eisen@colostate.edu
Phone: 970 491 8386

Saul Lozano-Fuentes, Ph. D.
E-mail: slozano@colostate.edu
Phone: 970 491 8745

RAMS-AID focuses on:

Prediction of spatial and temporal vector exposure and disease risk

Perspectives on vector-borne diseases
Eisen, L., and R.J. Eisen. 2011. Using geographic information systems and decision support systems for the prediction, prevention and control of vector-borne diseases. Annual Review of Entomology 56: 41-61.

Eisen, L., B.J. Beaty, A.C. Morrison, and T.W. Scott. 2009. Proactive vector control strategies and improved monitoring and evaluation practices for dengue prevention. Journal of Medical Entomology 46: 1245-1255.

Eisen, L., and S. Lozano-Fuentes. 2009. Use of mapping and spatial and space-time modeling approaches in operational control of Aedes aegypti and dengue. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases 3: e411.

Piesman, J., and L. Eisen. 2008. Prevention of tick-borne diseases. Annual Review of Entomology 53: 323-343.

Eisen, R.J., and L. Eisen. 2008. Spatial modeling of human risk of exposure to vector-borne pathogens based on epidemiological versus arthropod vector data. Journal of Medical Entomology 45: 181-192.

Eisen, L., and R.J. Eisen. 2007. Need for improved methods to collect and present spatial epidemiologic data for vectorborne diseases. Emerging Infectious Diseases 13: 1816-1820.


Tick-borne diseases
Eisen, R.J., L. Eisen, Y.A. Girard, N. Fedorova, J. Mun, B. Slikas, S. Leonhard, U. Kitron, and R.S. Lane. 2010. A spatially-explicit model of acarological risk of exposure to Borrelia burgdorferi-infected Ixodes pacificus nymphs in northwestern California based on woodland type, temperature and water vapor. Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases 1: 35-43.

Eisen, L., R.J. Eisen, J. Mun, D.J. Salkeld, and R.S. Lane. 2009. Transmission cycles of Borrelia burgdorferi and B. bissettii in relation to habitat type in northwestern California. Journal of Vector Ecology 34: 81-91.

Eisen, L. 2008. Climate change and tick-borne diseases: A research field in need of long-term empirical field studies. International Journal of Medical Microbiology 298 (Supplement 1): 12-18.

Eisen, R.J., P.S. Mead, A.M. Meyer, L.E. Pfaff, K.K. Bradley, and L. Eisen. 2008. Ecoepidemiology of tularemia in the south-central United States. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 78: 586-594.

Eisen, L., L.A. Ibarra-Juarez, R.J. Eisen, and J. Piesman. 2008. Indicators for elevated risk of human exposure to host-seeking adults of the Rocky Mountain wood tick (Dermacentor andersoni) in Colorado. Journal of Vector Ecology 33: 117-128.

Eisen, L., A.M. Meyer, and R.J. Eisen. 2007. Climate-based model predicting acarological risk of encountering the human-biting adult life stage of Dermacentor andersoni (Acari: Ixodidae), in a key habitat type in Colorado. Journal of Medical Entomology 44: 694-704.

Eisen, L. 2007. Seasonal pattern of host-seeking activity by the human-biting adult life stage of the Rocky Mountain wood tick, Dermacentor andersoni (Acari: Ixodidae). Journal of Medical Entomology 44: 359-366.

Eisen, R.J., R.S. Lane, C.L. Fritz, and L. Eisen. 2006. Spatial patterns of Lyme disease risk in California based on disease incidence data and modeling of vector-tick exposure. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 75: 669-676.

Eisen, R.J., L. Eisen, and R.S. Lane. 2006. Predicting density of Ixodes pacificus nymphs in dense woodlands in Mendocino County, California, based on geographical information systems and remote sensing versus field-derived data. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 74: 632-640.

Mosquito-borne diseases – West Nile virus disease
Eisen, L., C.M. Barker C.G. Moore, W.J. Pape, A.M. Winters, and N. Cheronis. 2010. Irrigated agriculture is an important risk factor for West Nile virus disease in the hyperendemic Larimer-Boulder-Weld area of north-central Colorado. Journal of Medical Entomology 47: 939-951.

Winters, A.M., R.J. Eisen, M.J. Delorey, M. Fischer, R.S. Nasci, E. Zielinski-Gutierrez, C.G. Moore, W.J. Pape, and L. Eisen. 2010. Spatial risk assessments based on vector-borne disease epidemiologic data: The importance of scale for West Nile virus disease in Colorado. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 82: 945-953.

Barker, C.M., B.G. Bolling, C.G. Moore, and L. Eisen. 2009. Relationship between distance from major larval habitats and abundance of adult mosquitoes in semi-arid plains landscapes in Colorado. Journal of Medical Entomology 46: 1290-1298.

Barker, C.M., B.G. Bolling, W.C. Black IV, C.G. Moore, and L. Eisen. 2009. Mosquitoes and West Nile virus along a river corridor from prairie to montane habitats in eastern Colorado. Journal of Vector Ecology 34: 276-293.

Bolling, B.G., C.M. Barker, C.G. Moore, W.J. Pape, and L. Eisen. 2009. Seasonal patterns for entomological measures of risk for exposure to Culex vectors and West Nile virus in relation to human disease cases in northeastern Colorado. Journal of Medical Entomology 46: 1519-1531.

Winters, A.M., R.J. Eisen, S. Lozano-Fuentes, C.G. Moore, W.J. Pape, and L. Eisen. 2008. Predictive spatial models for risk of West Nile virus exposure in eastern and western Colorado. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 79: 581–590.

Winters, A.M., B.G. Bolling, B.J. Beaty, C.D. Blair, R.J. Eisen, A.M. Meyer, W.J. Pape, C.G. Moore, and L. Eisen. 2008. Combining mosquito vector and human disease data for improved assessment of West Nile virus disease risk. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 78: 654-665.

Eisen, L., B.G. Bolling, C.D. Blair, B.J. Beaty, and C.G. Moore. 2008. Mosquito species richness, composition and abundance along habitat-climate-elevation gradients in the northern Colorado Front Range. Journal of Medical Entomology 45: 800-811.

Mosquito-borne diseases – Dengue
Garcia–Rejon, J.E., M.P. Lopez–Uribe, M.A. Lorono–Pino, J.A. Farfan–Ale, M.R. Najera–Vazquez, S. Lozano–Fuentes, B.J. Beaty, and L. Eisen. 2011. Productive container types for Aedes aegypti immatures in Merida, Mexico. Journal of Medical Entomology 48: 644-650.

Garcia-Rejon, J.E., M.A. Lorono-Pino, J.A. Farfan-Ale, L.F. Flores-Flores, M.P. Lopez-Uribe, M.R. Najera-Vazquez, G. Nunez-Ayala, B.J. Beaty, and L. Eisen. 2011. Mosquito infestation and dengue virus infection in Aedes aegypti females in schools in Merida, Mexico. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 84: 489-496.

Garcia-Rejon, J., M.A. Lorono-Pino, J.A. Farfan-Ale, L. Flores-Flores, E.P. Rosedo-Paredes, N. Rivero-Cardenas, R. Najera-Vazquez, S. Gomez-Carro, V. Lira-Zumbardo, P. Gonzalez-Martinez, S. Lozano-Fuentes, D. Elizondo-Quiroga, B.J. Beaty, and L. Eisen. 2008. Dengue virus-infected Aedes aegypti in the home environment. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 79: 940-950.

Development and delivery of decision support systems for infectious diseases
Eisen, L., M. Coleman, S. Lozano-Fuentes, N. McEachen, M. Orlans, and M. Coleman. 2011. Multi-disease data management system platform for vector-borne diseases. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases 5: e1016.

Lozano-Fuentes, S., C.M. Barker, M. Coleman, M. Coleman, B. Park, W.K. Reisen, and L. Eisen. 2011. Emerging information technologies to provide improved decision support for surveillance, prevention, and control of vector-borne diseases, In Press. In: Efficient Decision Support Systems: Practice and Challenges – From Current to Future / Book 3, C. Jao [ed.]. InTech - Open Access Publisher, Rijeka, Croatia.

Lozano-Fuentes, S., D. Elizondo-Quiroga, J.A. Farfan-Ale, M.A. Loroño-Pino, J. Garcia-Rejon, S. Gomez-Carro, V. Lira-Zumbardo, R. Najera-Vazquez, I. Fernandez-Salas, J. Calderon-Martinez, M. Dominguez-Galera, P. Mis-Avila, M. Coleman, N. Morris, C.G. Moore, B.J. Beaty, and L. Eisen. 2008. Use of Google Earth to strengthen public health capacity and facilitate management of vector-borne diseases in resource-poor environments. Bulletin of the World Health Organization 86: 718–725.

Eisen, L., and B.J. Beaty. 2008. Innovative decision support and vector control approaches to control dengue. In Institute of Medicine report on "Vector-Borne Diseases - Understanding the Environmental, Human Health, & Ecological Connections", pp 150-161. The National Academies Press, Washington, D.C.