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

Coinfection Visualization

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 Kentucky

Borrelia burgdorferi (deer tick) associated with Lyme disease

Sample size of 28 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size

Borrelia burgdorferi (lone star tick) associated with Lyme disease

Sample size of 74 ticks.

Borrelia burgdorferi (American dog tick) associated with Lyme disease

Sample size of 35 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size

Anaplasma phagocytophilum associated with anaplasmosis

Sample size of 58 ticks.

Babesia microti associated with babesiosis

Sample size of 38 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size

Bartonella spp. associated with bartonellosis

Sample size of 33 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size

Ehrlichia chaffeensis associated with ehrlichiosis

Sample size of 108 ticks.

Rickettsia spp. associated with Rocky Mountain spotted fever

Sample size of 36 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size

Francisella tularensis associated with tularemia

Sample size of 65 ticks.

Borrelia miyamotoi associated with B. miyamotoi

Sample size of 32 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size

Borrelia lonestari associated with STARI

Sample size of 34 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size

Babesia spp. associated with babesiosis

Sample size of 25 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size

Borrelia spp. associated with Borrelia spp.

Sample size of 26 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size

Rickettsia rickettsii associated with Rocky Mountain spotted fever

Sample size of 96 ticks.

Pathogen and co-infected tick prevalence data is © TickCheck, and is derived from our tick testing results and laboratory research.