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Our Tick Testing Data

Each tick submitted for testing contributes to the research being conducted here at TickCheck. By keeping records of all the results generated, we have been able to gain valuable insights into disease prevalence and co-infection rates. The comprehensive testing panel has been especially helpful in contributing to this research by ensuring all diseases and coinfections are accounted for when examining a tick. Our current research shows that 60% of tick tested are infected with at least one disease causing organism, 38% are co-infected with two or more, 14% carry three or more, and 5% of the ticks tested carry four or more.

Infection Visualization by Tick Species

All Ticks Tested
60% Positive for Infection
Negative (40%)
Ixodes scapularis (deer tick)
32% Positive for Infection
Negative (68%)
Amblyomma americanum (lone star tick)
17% Positive for Infection
Negative (83%)
Dermacentor variabilis (American dog tick)
6% Positive for Infection
Negative (94%)

Coinfection Visualization

4+ Coinfection (5%)
3+ Coinfection (14%)
2+ Coinfection (38%)
No Co-infection (62%)

Pathogenic Prevalence by Species & Life Stage

Generally, nymphal ticks will have fewer pathogen because they've had fewer opportunities to feed. Our data shows this as well.

Infection Rate for Borrelia burgdorferi between Adult Female and Nymphal Deer Ticks

Nymphal Deer Ticks

Sample size of 1,061 ticks.
24% Positive
76% Negative

Adult Female Deer Ticks

Sample size of 2,692 ticks.
36% Positive
64% Negative

Infection Rate for Anaplasma phagocytophilum between Adult Female and Nymphal Deer Ticks

Nymphal Deer Ticks

Sample size of 740 ticks.
10% Positive
90% Negative

Adult Female Deer Ticks

Sample size of 2,284 ticks.
12% Positive
88% Negative

Infection Rate for Rickettsia amblyommii between Adult Female and Nymphal Lone Star Ticks

Nymphal Deer Ticks

Sample size of 248 ticks.
46% Positive
54% Negative

Adult Female Deer Ticks

Sample size of 71 ticks.
51% Positive
49% Negative

Pathogenic Prevalence in Illinois

The bars below show the positive/negative prevalence ratio of selected pathogens we test for. These pathogens were observed in ticks from Illinois. Data set includes tests performed since TickCheck's founding in 2014 and is updated in real time.

Borrelia burgdorferi (deer tick) associated with Lyme disease

Sample size of 52 ticks.
21% Positive
79% Negative

Borrelia burgdorferi (American dog tick) associated with Lyme disease

Sample size of 50 ticks.
2% Positive
98% Negative

Anaplasma phagocytophilum associated with anaplasmosis

Sample size of 64 ticks.
12% Positive
88% Negative

Babesia microti associated with babesiosis

Sample size of 42 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size
2% Positive
98% Negative

Bartonella spp. associated with bartonellosis

Sample size of 31 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size
16% Positive
84% Negative

Ehrlichia chaffeensis associated with ehrlichiosis

Sample size of 48 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size
0% Positive
100% Negative

Rickettsia spp. associated with Rocky Mountain spotted fever

Sample size of 54 ticks.
19% Positive
81% Negative

Francisella tularensis associated with tularemia

Sample size of 33 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size
0% Positive
100% Negative

Borrelia miyamotoi associated with B. miyamotoi

Sample size of 28 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size
0% Positive
100% Negative

Mycoplasma spp. associated with Mycoplasma spp.

Sample size of 26 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size
0% Positive
100% Negative
Pathogen and co-infected tick prevalence data is © TickCheck, and is derived from our tick testing results and laboratory research.