Over 700 deer ticks were studied from 2024 by the Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, with over half of them testing positive for Lyme disease bacteria.
The Marshfield Clinic Research Institute launched the Tick Inventory via Citizen Science in the spring of 2024 to figure out tick ranges in the upper Midwest and what pathogens they may carry.
Wisconsin’s common deer tick was one studied and is important to study as Lyme disease cases have quadrupled in the past 20 years.
“Ticks may be small, but the illnesses they carry are not,” Jennifer Meece, Marshfield Clinic Research Institute senior vice president of research, said in a statement. “Knowing the symptoms of tickborne illnesses can mean the difference between early treatment and long‑term health complications.”
Citizens submitted 12,493 ticks for study. Most submitted and tested were the American dog tick or wood tick and I. scapularis.
Researchers said the high number of ticks with bacteria does not mean there is a 50% chance of acquiring Lyme disease from a tick bite but is around 3%.
“We don’t want to scare people off from being outdoors — Wisconsin residents and its visitors love the state because of the natural wonders and beauty,” Meece said. “We just encourage people to take proactive steps to protect themselves from ticks and be observant if they do find themselves with a tick bite.”
