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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 Kentucky

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

Unforunately, we have no data for Kentucky yet. (A minimum of 25 cases are needed for a pathogen to be displayed here).
Pathogen and co-infected tick prevalence data is © TickCheck, and is derived from our tick testing results and laboratory research.