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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 42% of tick tested are infected with at least one pathogen, 30% are co-infected with two or more, 8% carry three or more, and 3% of the ticks tested carry four or more.

Infection Visualization by Tick Species

All Ticks Tested
42% Positive for Infection
Negative (58%)
Ixodes scapularis (deer tick)
21% Positive for Infection
Negative (79%)
Amblyomma americanum (lone star tick)
16% Positive for Infection
Negative (84%)
Dermacentor variabilis (American dog tick)
3% Positive for Infection
Negative (97%)

Coinfection Visualization

4+ Coinfection (3%)
3+ Coinfection (8%)
2+ Coinfection (30%)
No Co-infection (70%)

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 3,826 ticks.
23% Positive
77% Negative

Adult Female Deer Ticks

Sample size of 9,387 ticks.
36% Positive
64% Negative

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

Nymphal Deer Ticks

Sample size of 3,502 ticks.
7% Positive
93% Negative

Adult Female Deer Ticks

Sample size of 8,976 ticks.
10% Positive
90% Negative

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

Nymphal Lone Star Ticks

Sample size of 1,084 ticks.
49% Positive
51% Negative

Adult Female Lone Star Ticks

Sample size of 385 ticks.
50% Positive
50% Negative

Pathogenic Prevalence in Iowa

The bars below show the positive/negative prevalence ratio of selected pathogens we test for. These pathogens were observed in ticks from Iowa. 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 36 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size
25% Positive
75% Negative

Borrelia burgdorferi (lone star tick) associated with Lyme disease

Sample size of 25 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size
0% Positive
100% Negative

Borrelia burgdorferi (American dog tick) associated with Lyme disease

Sample size of 43 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size
0% Positive
100% Negative

Anaplasma phagocytophilum associated with anaplasmosis

Sample size of 57 ticks.
2% Positive
98% Negative

Babesia microti associated with babesiosis

Sample size of 40 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size
0% Positive
100% Negative

Bartonella spp. associated with bartonellosis

Sample size of 35 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size
9% Positive
91% Negative

Ehrlichia chaffeensis associated with ehrlichiosis

Sample size of 68 ticks.
1% Positive
99% Negative

Rickettsia spp. associated with Rocky Mountain spotted fever

Sample size of 31 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size
26% Positive
74% Negative

Francisella tularensis associated with tularemia

Sample size of 48 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size
2% Positive
98% Negative

Borrelia miyamotoi associated with B. miyamotoi

Sample size of 39 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size
0% Positive
100% Negative

Borrelia lonestari associated with STARI

Sample size of 29 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size
3% Positive
97% Negative

Rickettsia rickettsii associated with Rocky Mountain spotted fever

Sample size of 59 ticks.
0% Positive
100% Negative
Pathogen and co-infected tick prevalence data is © TickCheck, and is derived from our tick testing results and laboratory research.