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, 40% are co-infected with two or more, 15% 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)

32% Positive for Infection

Negative (68%)

Amblyomma americanum (lone star tick)

18% Positive for Infection

Negative (82%)

Dermacentor variabilis (American dog tick)

7% Positive for Infection

Negative (93%)

Coinfection Visualization

4+ Coinfection (5%)

3+ Coinfection (15%)

2+ Coinfection (40%)

No Co-infection (60%)

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 1,054 ticks.

24% Positive

76% Negative

Adult Female Deer Ticks

Sample size of 2,114 ticks.

38% Positive

62% Negative

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

Nymphal Deer Ticks

Sample size of 733 ticks.

10% Positive

90% Negative

Adult Female Deer Ticks

Sample size of 1,706 ticks.

13% Positive

87% Negative

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

Nymphal Deer Ticks

Sample size of 237 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 (deer tick) associated with Lyme disease

Sample size of 27 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size

11% Positive

89% Negative

Borrelia burgdorferi (lone star tick) associated with Lyme disease

Sample size of 41 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size

7% Positive

93% 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 47 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size

4% Positive

96% Negative

Ehrlichia chaffeensis associated with ehrlichiosis

Sample size of 65 ticks.

2% Positive

98% Negative

Rickettsia spp. associated with Rocky Mountain spotted fever

Sample size of 63 ticks.

29% Positive

71% Negative

Francisella tularensis associated with tularemia

Sample size of 45 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size

0% Positive

100% Negative

Borrelia miyamotoi associated with B. miyamotoi

Sample size of 31 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size

0% Positive

100% Negative

Borrelia lonestari associated with STARI

Sample size of 39 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size

5% Positive

95% Negative

Mycoplasma spp. associated with Mycoplasma spp.

Sample size of 32 ticks. Warning: Low Sample Size

3% Positive

97% Negative

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