Center for Global Health Faculty

Associate Professor

Academic Degrees

• PhD
• MS

Departmental Affiliation

• Name:

  Molecular Microbiology and Immunology

  Affiliation Type:

  Primary

Departmental Address

Contact Information

Email:

dnorris+jhsph.edu

Phone:

410-614-2710

Fax:

410-955-0105

Link:

Personal Website

Link:

SciVal Experts Research Profile

Research and Professional Experience

Arthropod-borne diseases are responsible for enormous amounts of morbidity and mortality world-wide. Research in my laboratory is focused on genetic diversity within, and the genetic structuring of, arthropod and arthropod-borne pathogen populations. This research helps identify which arthropod populations may be important for disease transmission and which pathogen populations may be responsible for causing disease. The genetic information gathered in these studies also aids in the understanding of the evolution and genetic constraints of these vector-pathogen systems and may provide insight into how these cycles of disease may be disrupted. Current research activities in the laboratory are focused on malaria in West and Southern Africa, Lyme disease, Rickettsia-like and other tick-borne bacteria in the Eastern United States, and dengue in South America.

Keywords

Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, vector biology, entomology, population genetics, arthropod genetics, Lyme Disease, malaria, West Nile Virus, biodiversity, tick, mosquito, Rickettsia, dengue

Selected Publications

(Selected from the last 5 years)

Norris, L.C., and D.E. Norris. 2011. Efficacy of long-lasting insecticidal nets in use in Macha, Zambia, against the local Anopheles arabiensis population. Malaria Journal.10:254 DOI: 10.1186/1475-2875-10-254

Moss, W.J., D.E. Norris, S. Mharakurwa, A. Scott, M. Mulenga, P.E. Mason, P.E. Thuma and the Southern Africa ICEMR Team. 2011. Challenges and Prospects for Malaria Elimination in the Southern Africa Region. Acta Tropica. DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2011.06.019  PMID: 21871864.

Fornadel, C.M., X. Zhang, J.D. Smith, C.D. Paddock, J.R. Arias and D.E. Norris. 2011. High rates of Rickettsia parkeri infection in Gulf Coast Ticks (Amblyomma maculatum) and identification of “Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae” from Fairfax County, Virginia. Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases. DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2011.0654  PMID: 21867421.

Mharakurwa, S., P.E. Thuma, D.E. Norris, M. Mulenga, V. Chalwe, J. Chipeta, S. Munyati, S. Mutambu, P.R. Mason, for the Southern Africa ICEMR Team. 2011. Malaria epidemiology and control in Southern Africa. Acta Tropica. DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2011.06.012  PMID: 21756864.

Khan, W.A., D.A. Sack, S. Ahmed, C.S. Prue, M.S. Alam, R. Haque, J. Khyang, M. Ram, J. Akter, M.M. Nyunt, D.E. Norris, G.E. Glass, T. Shields, M.Z. Haq, A. Cravioto and D.J. Sullivan. 2011.  Mapping hypoendemic, seasonal malaria in rural Bandarban, Bangladesh: a prospective surveillance. Malaria Journal. 10:124 DOI: 10.1186/1475-2875-10-124.

Zhang, X., D.E. Norris and J.L. Rasgon. 2011. Distribution and molecular characterization of a Wolbachia endosymbionts and filarial nematodes in Maryland populations of the lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum). FEMS Microbiology Ecology. 77(1): 50-56. DOI: 10.111/j.1574-6941.2011.01089.x. PMID: 21410491.

Fornadel, CM, LC Norris, V Franco and DE Norris. 2010. Unexpected anthropophily in the potential secondary malaria vectors, Anopheles coustani and Anopheles squamosus in Macha, Zambia. Vector-borne Zoon Dis. (in press)

Fornadel, CM, LC Norris, GE Glass and DE Norris. 2010. Analysis of Anopheles arabiensis blood feeding behavior in Southern Zambia during the two years after introduction of insecticide-treated bed nets. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 83: 848-853.

Fornadel, CM, LC Norris and DE Norris. 2010. Centers for Disease Control light traps for monitoring Anopheles arabiensis human biting rates in an area with low vector density and insecticide treated bed net use. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 83: 838-842.

Norris, LC, CM Fornadel, F Pineda and DE Norris. 2010. Evidence for multiple human feeding within a single gonotrophic cycle by Anopheles arabiensis. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 83: 33-37.

Gardner-Santana, LC, DE Norris, CM Fornadel, ER Hinson, SL Klein and GE Glass. 2009. Commensal ecology, urban landscapes, and their influence on the genetic characteristics of city-dwelling Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus). Mol Ecol. 18: 2766-2778.

Koekemoer, LL, EA Misiani, RH Hunt, RJ Kent, DE Norris and M Coetzee. 2009. Cryptic species within Anopheles longipalpis from southern Africa and phylogenetic comparison with members of the An. funestus group. Bull Entomol Res. 99: 41-49.

Fornadel, CM, and DE Norris. 2008. Increased endophily by the malaria vector Anopheles arabiensis in Southern Zambia and identification of digested blood meals. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 79: 876-880.

Swanson, KI, and DE Norris. 2008. Presence of multiple variants of Borrelia burgdorferi in the natural reservoir Peromyscus leucopus throughout a transmission season. Vector-Borne Zoon Dis. 8: 397-405.

Swanson, KI, and DE Norris. 2007. Co-circulating microorganisms in questing Ixodes scapularis nymphs in Maryland. J Vector Ecol. 32: 243-251.

DiMenna, MA, R Bueno Jr, RR Parmenter, DE Norris, JM Sheyka, JL Molina, EM LaBeau, ES Hatton, CM Roberts and GE Glass. 2007. Urban habitat evaluation for West Nile Virus surveillance in mosquitoes in Albuquerque, New Mexico. J Am Mosq Control Assoc. 23: 153-160.

Kent, RJ, S Mharakurwa and DE Norris. 2007. Spatial and temporal genetic structure of Anopheles arabiensis in Southern Zambia over consecutive wet and drought years. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 77: 316-323.

Kent, RJ, S Mharakurwa, H Hamapumbu and DE Norris. 2007. Recognition of a novel melanotic mutant in a field population of Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus Say in Southern Zambia. J Am Mosq Control Assoc. 23: 71-75.

Swanson, KI, and DE Norris. 2006. Detection of Borrelia burgdorferi DNA from lizards in southern Maryland. Vector-Borne Zoon. Dis. 7: 42-49.

Kent, RJ, P Thuma, S Mharakurwa and DE Norris. 2007. Seasonality, blood feeding behavior and transmission of Plasmodium falciparum by Anopheles arabiensis following an extended drought in Southern Zambia. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 76: 267-274.

Kent, RJ, LC Harrington and DE Norris. 2007. Genetic differences between Culex pipiens f. molestus and Culex pipiens pipiens in New York. J Med Entomol. 44: 50-59.

Anderson, JM, T Shields, KI Swanson, TR Schwartz, GE Glass and DE Norris. 2006. Mammal diversity and infectious prevalence in the maintenance of enzootic Lyme disease along the Western Coastal Plains of Maryland. Vector-Borne Zoon Dis. 6: 411-422.

Kent, RJ, M Coetzee, S Mharakurwa and DE Norris. 2006. Feeding and indoor resting behaviour of the mosquito Anopheles longipalpis in an area of hyperendemic malaria transmission in southern Zambia. Med Vet Entomol. 20: 1-5.

Anderson, JM, and DE Norris. 2006. Genetic diversity of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto from Peromyscus leucopus, the primary reservoir and vector of Lyme disease in a moderately endemic region of southern Maryland. Appl Environ Microbiol. 72: 5331-5341.

DiMenna, MA, R Bueno Jr, RR Parmenter, DE Norris, JM Sheyka, JL Molina, EM LaBeau, ES Hatton and GE Glass. 2006. The emergence of West Nile Virus in mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) communities of the New Mexico Rio Grande Valley. J Med Entomol. 43: 594-599.

Shone, SM, GE Glass and DE Norris. 2006. Targeted trapping for mosquito vectors in the Chesapeake Bay area of Maryland. J Med Entomol. 43: 151-158.

Kent, RJ, and DE Norris. 2005. Identification of mammalian blood meals in mosquitoes by a multiplexed polymerase chain reaction targeting cytochrome b. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 73: 336-342.

Norris, DE. 2004. Mosquito-borne diseases as a consequence of land use change. Ecohealth. 1: 19-24.