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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 53% of tick tested are infected with at least one pathogen, 37% are co-infected with two or more, 11% carry three or more, and 4% of the ticks tested carry four or more.

Infection Visualization by Tick Species

All Ticks Tested
53% Positive for Infection
Negative (47%)
Ixodes scapularis (deer tick)
28% Positive for Infection
Negative (72%)
Amblyomma americanum (lone star tick)
17% Positive for Infection
Negative (83%)
Dermacentor variabilis (American dog tick)
5% Positive for Infection
Negative (95%)

Coinfection Visualization

4+ Coinfection (4%)
3+ Coinfection (11%)
2+ Coinfection (37%)
No Co-infection (63%)

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 1,924 ticks.
24% Positive
76% Negative

Adult Female Deer Ticks

Sample size of 5,087 ticks.
37% Positive
63% Negative

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

Nymphal Deer Ticks

Sample size of 1,603 ticks.
9% Positive
91% Negative

Adult Female Deer Ticks

Sample size of 4,680 ticks.
11% Positive
89% Negative

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

Nymphal Lone Star Ticks

Sample size of 498 ticks.
49% Positive
51% Negative

Adult Female Lone Star Ticks

Sample size of 148 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.

Borrelia burgdorferi (lone star tick) associated with Lyme disease

Sample size of 30 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size
10% Positive
90% Negative

Ehrlichia chaffeensis associated with ehrlichiosis

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

Rickettsia rickettsii associated with Rocky Mountain spotted fever

Sample size of 28 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.