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 44% of tick tested are infected with at least one pathogen, 32% are co-infected with two or more, 9% carry three or more, and 3% of the ticks tested carry four or more.

Infection Visualization by Tick Species

All Ticks Tested

44% Positive for Infection

Negative (56%)

Ixodes scapularis (deer tick)

24% Positive for Infection

Negative (76%)

Amblyomma americanum (lone star tick)

14% Positive for Infection

Negative (86%)

Dermacentor variabilis (American dog tick)

3% Positive for Infection

Negative (97%)

Coinfection Visualization

4+ Coinfection (3%)

3+ Coinfection (9%)

2+ Coinfection (32%)

No Co-infection (68%)

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 3,141 ticks.

24% Positive

76% Negative

Adult Female Deer Ticks

Sample size of 8,989 ticks.

36% Positive

64% Negative

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

Nymphal Deer Ticks

Sample size of 2,818 ticks.

8% Positive

92% Negative

Adult Female Deer Ticks

Sample size of 8,578 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 877 ticks.

49% Positive

51% Negative

Adult Female Lone Star Ticks

Sample size of 291 ticks.

51% Positive

49% Negative

Pathogenic Prevalence in Maine

The bars below show the positive/negative prevalence ratio of selected pathogens we test for. These pathogens were observed in ticks from Maine. 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 434 ticks.

39% Positive

61% Negative

Borrelia burgdorferi (American dog tick) associated with Lyme disease

Sample size of 86 ticks.

2% Positive

98% Negative

Anaplasma phagocytophilum associated with anaplasmosis

Sample size of 402 ticks.

13% Positive

87% Negative

Babesia microti associated with babesiosis

Sample size of 371 ticks.

9% Positive

91% Negative

Bartonella spp. associated with bartonellosis

Sample size of 160 ticks.

12% Positive

88% Negative

Ehrlichia chaffeensis associated with ehrlichiosis

Sample size of 79 ticks.

1% Positive

99% Negative

Rickettsia spp. associated with Rocky Mountain spotted fever

Sample size of 38 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size

11% Positive

89% Negative

Francisella tularensis associated with tularemia

Sample size of 55 ticks.

2% Positive

98% Negative

Borrelia miyamotoi associated with B. miyamotoi

Sample size of 193 ticks.

2% Positive

98% Negative

Borrelia lonestari associated with STARI

Sample size of 34 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size

0% Positive

100% Negative

Babesia spp. associated with babesiosis

Sample size of 89 ticks.

11% Positive

89% Negative

Mycoplasma spp. associated with Mycoplasma spp.

Sample size of 89 ticks.

4% Positive

96% Negative

Borrelia spp. associated with Borrelia spp.

Sample size of 88 ticks.

34% Positive

66% Negative

Powassan virus General associated with Powassan virus General

Sample size of 67 ticks.

1% Positive

99% Negative

Borrelia mayonii associated with Lyme disease

Sample size of 119 ticks.

0% Positive

100% Negative

Babesia duncani associated with babesiosis

Sample size of 61 ticks.

0% Positive

100% Negative

Rickettsia rickettsii associated with Rocky Mountain spotted fever

Sample size of 59 ticks.

0% Positive

100% Negative

Ehrlichia muris-like associated with ehrlichiosis

Sample size of 61 ticks.

0% Positive

100% Negative

Anaplasma phagocytophilum - Deer Variant associated with non-human anaplasmosis

Sample size of 77 ticks.

0% Positive

100% Negative

Anaplasma phagocytophilum - Human Active associated with anaplasmosis

Sample size of 77 ticks.

5% Positive

95% Negative

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