In the United States, 77% percent of vector-borne diseases are transmitted by ticks – with numbers increasing dramatically in the recent decades. The increased prevalence of tick-borne diseases may be partially due to improvements in and availability of testing, but there are concrete environmental factors researchers believe are responsible for a net increase in tick-borne disease cases across the country.
Having updated information and knowledge about tick-borne diseases is vital when it comes to public health. This is why we’ve compiled as many statistics as possible regarding tick-borne diseases, including prevalence, treatment, and more.
Types of Tick-Borne Diseases
Ticks carry different bacteria that can transmit diseases. It’s also possible for a specific tick to carry multiple bacteria, potentially infecting an individual with more than one tick-borne disease in one bite. There are currently 11 tick-borne diseases that have been identified in the United States. These are:
- Lyme disease
- Babesiosis
- Ehrlichiosis
- Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
- Southern Tick-Associated Rash Illness (STARI)
- Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever (TBRF)
- Tularemia
- Anaplasmosis
- Colorado tick fever
- Powassan encephalitis
- Q fever
Of these, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is the most lethal, with about 5-10% of cases being fatal. Without proper treatment, death can occur within 8 days of the onset of symptoms. In most cases, it can be treated with the early use of antibiotics. RMFS can be found across the U.S., but 60% of cases are found in 5 states: North Carolina, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Missouri.
Another potentially fatal tick-borne disease is Powassan encephalitis. Powassan virus is relatively rare, but it is fatal in about 1 out of 10 severe cases.
Prevalence of Tick-Borne Diseases
Although only about 35,000 Lyme disease cases are reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) each year, an estimated 475,000 new cases are diagnosed in the U.S. each year, making Lyme disease the most common tick-borne disease. Cases of Lyme disease are estimated to be 8-12 times higher than the actual amount of reported cases. This is due in part because the symptoms can be difficult to pinpoint when seeking a diagnosis, or because people don’t have access to proper healthcare which prevents them from getting diagnosed.
On a similar note, Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever (TBRF) is significantly underreported. In a 2018 serological study, results indicated that 29% of the test population were positive for infection with some strain of relapsing fever Borrelia. TBRF is present in 49 of the 50 states in the U.S.
In The United States, tick-borne diseases are most common in the Northeast, mid-Atlantic, and upper Midwest, along with some areas along the pacific coast. In these areas, you’re most likely to find cases of Lyme disease, Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, and Powassan virus. However, note that it is possible to be exposed to tick-borne disease anywhere in the U.S.
The seven states where spotted fever rickettsiosis cases occur most frequently are Arkansas, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Virginia, Alabama, and Tennessee. The geographic range of certain ticks like black-legged ticks and Lone Star ticks has expanded over the last 20 years. This is in part due to climate change and changing ecosystems.
Quick Statistics of Tick-Borne Diseases
Let’s look at some other statistics about Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases.
Diagnosis
Of 198 patients with tick-borne disease surveyed by IGeneX in 2019, nearly 45% needed more than three years to obtain an accurate diagnosis. 24% saw more than ten doctors before receiving a proper diagnosis.
Treatment rates
While tick-borne diseases are treatable with the early use of antibiotics, many people do experience long-term effects. Treatment failure for Lyme disease is estimated to be 10-20%. This is called Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLDS) or sometimes chronic Lyme, and can include symptoms like headaches, impaired cognition, drooping face muscles on one side (Bell’s Palsy), fatigue, and joint stiffness.
Tick season
Tick bites are most common during the warmer months (April-September). However, bites can occur any time of year, potentially leading to a tick-borne disease.
Lyme disease prevalence by age
People of any age are at risk of developing Lyme disease after a tick bite, but it is most common in people ages 5-9 and 55-69.
Long-term consequences of tick-borne disease
Of the 198 patients surveyed by IGeneX in 2019, nearly 36 percent spent more than $10,000 on tests, treatments, travel, appointments, and other costs associated with their disease. 65% were forced to quit or cut back on their hours at work due to their symptoms.
86% of the patients surveyed suffer from long-term side effects from not having been diagnosed sooner.
Testing for and Preventing Tick-Borne Diseases
The thought of tick-borne diseases can be nerve-wracking, especially if you live in or spend time in an area where ticks are commonly found. This information is meant to help guide you and give you knowledge about tick-borne diseases so that you can better protect yourself and your family.
Besides having this information on hand, it’s also important to take steps to help prevent tick bites in the first place. When you’re in an area with ticks you can protect yourself by wearing pants, long socks, long sleeves, and well-fitting shoes, using bug spray containing DEET, picaridin, or lemon eucalyptus oil, and thoroughly checking yourself for ticks when you get home.If you do happen to get bitten by a tick, it’s vital to get yourself tested for tick-borne diseases and if possible, send in the tick for testing as well. The labs at IGeneX offer comprehensive testing so that you can get the treatment you need as soon as possible.