Pike County PA Tick Borne Diseases Task Force Releases Results Presentation

The Pike County (PA) Tick Borne Diseases Task Force has provided a 6 minute video slide show with results from the Pike County Tick Borne Diseases Base-Line Study, a county-wide assessment of the tick-borne diseases and infection rates of ticks funded in part by a 2018 grant awarded by the LDA.  

Graph from Pike County Tick Borne Diseases Base-Line Study
Graph from Pike County Tick Borne Diseases Base-Line Study

From Spring 2018 through Fall 2019 black-legged ticks in the nymph or adult stages were collected and tested for seven different disease-causing pathogens. Other types of ticks, including one Asian longhorned and one lone star tick, were collected but not tested.

There was nearly an even split between the number of male and female ticks collected. Results of this study show that over half of the male deer ticks tested positive for various tick-borne pathogens, * with a similar finding in the female population.  

The study also addressed co-infections with 123 of 988 black-legged ticks testing positive for two or more pathogens. The highest co-infection observed was Lyme disease and Anaplasmosis.

*It should be noted here that current research seems to indicate that male deer ticks do not transmit the Lyme bacteria, or rarely transmit, with varying reports of either they do not feed or briefly feed, and do not become engorged.

View the Pike County Tick Borne Diseases Base-Line Study slide show/video below.

For more information visit the Pike County Tick Borne Diseases Task Force webpage.

Read previous article, Pike County Ticks Exceed PA State Average for Carrying Tick-Borne Diseases on LDA’s website.