Tick Talk: February 2025

50% of Adult Ticks Carry Lyme Disease in Northeast

A new Dartmouth study published in Parasites & Vectors found that 50% of adult black-legged ticks in the Northeast carry the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. Up to 25% of nymph-stage ticks also carry the bacteria. In order to assess black-legged tick populations and their role in spreading Lyme, researchers from universities, health departments, and agricultural agencies analyzed data from 1989 to 2021 across Connecticut, New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine.

The study highlights that black-legged ticks are not born infected. Instead, they acquire the Lyme disease bacteria by feeding on infected hosts such as white-footed mice, chipmunks, birds, and other small animals. They have to feed on a blood meal to move the next stage of their life cycle. Adult ticks are most active in the fall and are more likely to carry Lyme disease.

Researchers also emphasized that ticks must be attached for at least 24 hours to transmit Lyme disease, reinforcing the importance of regular tick checks after spending time outdoors. While the overall abundance of black-legged ticks has not changed significantly in recent years, the percentage of ticks carrying Lyme disease bacteria has increased. The research team is now studying how climate change may be influencing tick populations and the spread of Lyme disease in the Northeast.

Tick Education Art Contest in PA

Pennsylvania holds an annual Lyme Disease Art Contest, and his year’s theme is Protect. Check. Remove. The competition, open to 1st-6th grade Pennsylvania students, aims to prevent Lyme disease through education and engagement. It’s especially important for Pennsylvania, as the commonwealth has some of the highest annual case counts of the disease in the United States. “This art contest provides students with a creative way to combine their health and science knowledge with art to help raise awareness as tick season approaches,” Interim Acting Education Secretary Angela Fitterer said. “Learning opportunities like this one empower young Pennsylvanians to understand the world around them, and I encourage educators across the commonwealth to get their young learners involved.”

There are currently 16 high incidence states for Lyme disease in the United States, and Pennsylvania has been designated by the CDC as one of them. The state has consistently returned some of the highest annual case counts in the country. “Protecting against ticks is essential to enjoying the many benefits of getting outdoors,” said Cindy Adams Dunn, secretary of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Robot Dog that Detects Ticks

Pest management professionals learned how to use AI effectively in everyday business operations, heard from state and national leaders on regulatory and legislative issues and learned about the latest products and technologies at the Purdue Pest Management Conference.

Purdue’s Head of Department of Entomology, Dr. Catherine Hill, held an interactive presentation on transforming mosquito and tick-borne diseases with AI. She was joined on stage by a robot dog that detects tick and mosquito hotspots, a tool that will help transform how the pest control industry identifies mosquito and tick-borne diseases.

How an Apache Reservation is Combatting Ticks

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) is the deadliest tick-borne disease in the U.S., posing a significant threat to tribal communities in the Southwest, particularly on the San Carlos Apache Reservation. Cases have persisted for decades, but a community-led response has successfully reduced fatalities.

In this region, RMSF is transmitted through brown dog tick bites. This tick thrives in dry desert conditions and is commonly found in and around homes, leading to a higher transmission risk. Children are particularly vulnerable, accounting for about 30% of fatalities, as they frequently play outdoors where infected ticks and dogs are present.

To combat the disease, the San Carlos Apache Tribe’s Department of Health and Human Services conducts door-to-door tick control efforts. Their team sprays pesticides, distributes tick collars for dogs, and educates residents about prevention. However, resources are limited, and stray dogs exacerbate the problem by acting as hosts for infected ticks. Over time, the community’s perception of stray dog control has shifted, recognizing its importance in disease prevention.

The tribe’s prevention measures, coupled with increased awareness among residents and healthcare providers, have significantly reduced deaths from RMSF. For at least five years, there have been no fatalities on the reservation, making it a major public health success. However, cases still occur, highlighting the need for continued vigilance, funding, and preventive measures. The reservation has implemented a rapid response protocol when a suspected case arises, ensuring immediate medical treatment and environmental tick control. While challenges remain, the tribe’s proactive approach continues to save lives and serve as a model for combating RMSF in high-risk areas.

Studying The Link Between Invasive Species & Ticks

In Maine, ticks and invasive species are both common nuisances. A joint team of researchers from the University of Maine and Vermont State University are exploring if both can be controlled with a single solution.?The theory is that removing the invasive plants will result in lower tick population densities. The team received?$1.8 million?from the National Science Foundation to conduct five-years of research spanning entomological, biological, and social sciences.

The study builds on research suggesting that invasive plant species create prime habitats for ticks. Ellisa Ballman, senior research associate at UMaine says invasive thickets grow out of control, creating humid areas with stable temperatures favored by ticks. "It also supports the mice and the deer, which the ticks rely on, so it can create these really large tick populations as a result," Ballman said.

95% of Maine's forests are privately owned, so the research is intertwined with regular landowners. The hope is to work collaboratively with landowners to study tick removal strategies and results, and how neighbors and communities talk about these strategies. This research could reveal the best ways to educate and work with landowners to mitigate invasive species and pests while the owners use their property.