Start Date

2021

Description

  • Blacklegged ticks are the primary vector for Lyme disease, the most common vector-borne illness in the United States.
  • In the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, established populations of blacklegged ticks were first reported in southwestern counties in 1998.
  • The range of the blacklegged tick has increased in western Michigan over the past 20 years, expanding northward and inland.
  • Case counts of Lyme disease have increased over 5-fold over the same 20-year period, indicating an increased risk to human populations.

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Jan 1st, 12:00 AM

Evaluating the Distribution of Blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) in a Region of Recent Expansion

  • Blacklegged ticks are the primary vector for Lyme disease, the most common vector-borne illness in the United States.
  • In the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, established populations of blacklegged ticks were first reported in southwestern counties in 1998.
  • The range of the blacklegged tick has increased in western Michigan over the past 20 years, expanding northward and inland.
  • Case counts of Lyme disease have increased over 5-fold over the same 20-year period, indicating an increased risk to human populations.