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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 Massachusetts

The bars below show the positive/negative prevalence ratio of selected pathogens we test for. These pathogens were observed in ticks from Massachusetts. 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 1,860 ticks.
36% Positive
64% Negative

Borrelia burgdorferi (lone star tick) associated with Lyme disease

Sample size of 103 ticks.
1% Positive
99% Negative

Borrelia burgdorferi (American dog tick) associated with Lyme disease

Sample size of 414 ticks.
1% Positive
99% Negative

Anaplasma phagocytophilum associated with anaplasmosis

Sample size of 1,900 ticks.
8% Positive
92% Negative

Babesia microti associated with babesiosis

Sample size of 1,748 ticks.
8% Positive
92% Negative

Bartonella spp. associated with bartonellosis

Sample size of 802 ticks.
7% Positive
93% Negative

Ehrlichia chaffeensis associated with ehrlichiosis

Sample size of 524 ticks.
0% Positive
100% Negative

Rickettsia spp. associated with Rocky Mountain spotted fever

Sample size of 211 ticks.
19% Positive
81% Negative

Francisella tularensis associated with tularemia

Sample size of 353 ticks.
0% Positive
100% Negative

Borrelia miyamotoi associated with B. miyamotoi

Sample size of 1,021 ticks.
2% Positive
98% Negative

Borrelia lonestari associated with STARI

Sample size of 221 ticks.
1% Positive
99% Negative

Babesia spp. associated with babesiosis

Sample size of 472 ticks.
12% Positive
88% Negative

Bartonella henselae associated with cat-scratch fever

Sample size of 75 ticks.
0% Positive
100% Negative

Mycoplasma spp. associated with Mycoplasma spp.

Sample size of 405 ticks.
3% Positive
97% Negative

Borrelia spp. associated with Borrelia spp.

Sample size of 455 ticks.
28% Positive
72% Negative

Powassan virus General associated with Powassan virus General

Sample size of 339 ticks.
1% Positive
99% Negative

Borrelia mayonii associated with Lyme disease

Sample size of 597 ticks.
0% Positive
100% Negative

Ehrlichia ewingii associated with ehrlichiosis

Sample size of 158 ticks.
0% Positive
100% Negative

Rickettsia amblyommii associated with Rocky Mountain spotted fever

Sample size of 152 ticks.
15% Positive
85% Negative

Babesia duncani associated with babesiosis

Sample size of 339 ticks.
0% Positive
100% Negative

Rickettsia rickettsii associated with Rocky Mountain spotted fever

Sample size of 459 ticks.
0% Positive
100% Negative

Ehrlichia muris-like associated with ehrlichiosis

Sample size of 339 ticks.
1% Positive
99% Negative

Ehrlichia spp. associated with Ehrlichia spp.

Sample size of 139 ticks.
1% Positive
99% Negative

Anaplasma spp. associated with Anaplasma spp.

Sample size of 139 ticks.
4% Positive
96% Negative

Babesia odocoilei associated with Babesia odocoilei

Sample size of 74 ticks.
8% Positive
92% Negative

Ehrlichia canis associated with Ehrlichia canis

Sample size of 74 ticks.
0% Positive
100% Negative

Panola Mountain Ehrlichia associated with Panola Mountain Ehrlichia

Sample size of 74 ticks.
0% Positive
100% Negative

Rickettsia montanensis associated with Rickettsia montanensis

Sample size of 70 ticks.
0% Positive
100% Negative

Anaplasma phagocytophilum - Deer Variant associated with non-human anaplasmosis

Sample size of 426 ticks.
1% Positive
99% Negative

Anaplasma phagocytophilum - Human Active associated with anaplasmosis

Sample size of 426 ticks.
7% Positive
93% Negative

Powassan virus Lineage Ⅱ associated with Deer Tick Virus

Sample size of 97 ticks.
0% Positive
100% Negative

Powassan virus Lineage Ⅰ associated with Powassan virus Lineage Ⅰ

Sample size of 97 ticks.
0% Positive
100% Negative

Rickettsia parkeri associated with Rickettsia parkeri

Sample size of 74 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.