Evaluating the Distribution of Blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) in a Region of Recent Expansion
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.
Recommended Citation
Tuig, Andrew Vander; Kapteyn, Andre; Liebetreu, Abigail; Shokoohi, Emilia; Tsao, Jean; and Miller, William L., "Evaluating the Distribution of Blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) in a Region of Recent Expansion" (2021). Summer Research. 59.
https://digitalcommons.calvin.edu/summer_research/2021/Posters/59
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.
