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 61% of tick tested are infected with at least one disease causing organism, 39% 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

61% Positive for Infection

Negative (39%)

Ixodes scapularis (deer tick)

76% Positive for Infection

Negative (24%)

Amblyomma americanum (lone star tick)

62% Positive for Infection

Negative (38%)

Dermacentor variabilis (American dog tick)

32% Positive for Infection

Negative (68%)

Coinfection Visualization

4+ Coinfection (5%)

3+ Coinfection (14%)

2+ Coinfection (39%)

No Co-infection (61%)

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 1,022 ticks.

23% Positive

77% Negative

Adult Female Deer Ticks

Sample size of 1,628 ticks.

36% Positive

64% Negative

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

Nymphal Deer Ticks

Sample size of 701 ticks.

10% Positive

90% Negative

Adult Female Deer Ticks

Sample size of 1,220 ticks.

12% Positive

88% Negative

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

Nymphal Deer Ticks

Sample size of 230 ticks.

46% Positive

54% Negative

Adult Female Deer Ticks

Sample size of 70 ticks.

51% Positive

49% Negative

Pathogenic Prevalence in North Carolina

The bars below show the positive/negative prevalence ratio of selected pathogens we test for. These pathogens were observed in ticks from North Carolina. 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 38 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size

5% Positive

95% Negative

Borrelia burgdorferi (American dog tick) associated with Lyme disease

Sample size of 40 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size

0% Positive

100% Negative

Anaplasma phagocytophilum associated with anaplasmosis

Sample size of 42 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size

5% Positive

95% Negative

Ehrlichia chaffeensis associated with ehrlichiosis

Sample size of 62 ticks.

2% Positive

98% Negative

Rickettsia spp. associated with Rocky Mountain spotted fever

Sample size of 60 ticks.

27% Positive

73% Negative

Francisella tularensis associated with tularemia

Sample size of 43 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size

0% Positive

100% Negative

Borrelia miyamotoi associated with B. miyamotoi

Sample size of 27 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size

0% Positive

100% Negative

Borrelia lonestari associated with STARI

Sample size of 37 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size

5% Positive

95% Negative

Mycoplasma spp. associated with Mycoplasma spp.

Sample size of 28 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size

4% Positive

96% Negative

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