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 60% of tick tested are infected with at least one disease causing organism, 38% 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

Coinfection Visualization

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 1,060 ticks.

24% Positive

76% Negative

Adult Female Deer Ticks

Sample size of 2,526 ticks.

36% Positive

64% Negative

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

Nymphal Deer Ticks

Sample size of 739 ticks.

10% Positive

90% Negative

Adult Female Deer Ticks

Sample size of 2,118 ticks.

13% Positive

87% Negative

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

Nymphal Deer Ticks

Sample size of 242 ticks.

46% Positive

54% Negative

Adult Female Deer Ticks

Sample size of 71 ticks.

51% Positive

49% Negative

Pathogenic Prevalence in Rhode Island

Borrelia burgdorferi (deer tick) associated with Lyme disease

Sample size of 78 ticks.

Anaplasma phagocytophilum associated with anaplasmosis

Sample size of 51 ticks.

Babesia microti associated with babesiosis

Sample size of 50 ticks.

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