Tick-borne disease risks in the United States

Research indicates a significant presence of tick-borne pathogens in residential areas, specifically in North Carolina. A study found that nearly 40 percent of adult blacklegged ticks collected from residential yards in Biltmore Forest tested positive for the bacterium that causes Lyme disease, a rate comparable to the Northeast and Midwest. Investigators also detected Borrelia miyamotoi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum, raising concerns about potential clinician training gaps regarding the prevalence of these diseases outside of northern regions.

Broadly, tick-borne diseases present a major public health challenge in the United States, with approximately 476,000 annual Lyme disease cases. Data suggests that 75% of bites occur during routine yard activities, often from small nymph ticks. Because ticks utilize diverse hosts like deer and rodents and move through suburban environments, total eradication is considered nearly impossible due to the environmental risks of large-scale chemical use. Consequently, research is shifting toward targeted mitigation strategies, such as bait stations, to reduce tick density near human habitats.