Tickborne Disease in Kentucky
What Are Tickborne Diseases?
Kentucky has a great system of parks and outdoor recreation areas that encourage spending more time outside and enjoying activities such as hunting, fishing or hiking. However, it is important to be aware that these outdoor activities may put you in contact with ticks which can carry diseases.
The most common diseases from ticks in Kentucky are Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF), Ehrlichiosis and Lyme disease. This Story Map will take you through each of these tickborne diseases and show you how to protect yourself from them so you can continue to enjoy the outdoor recreation that Kentucky has to offer!
For more information on the case definition of RMSF: https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/case-definitions/spotted-fever-rickettsiosis-2020/
Spotted fever rickettsioses are a group of diseases caused by closely related bacteria, spotted fever group Rickettsia. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) is the most common disease caused by the bacteria Rickettsia rickettsii. In Kentucky, the American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis) and the brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) can carry and spread this bacteria.
Tick Encounter Resource Center, University of Rhode Island. http://www.tickencounter.
The American dog tick is common in Kentucky and much of the eastern United States. The brown dog tick can be found across the entire country.
CDC. Ticks, Where Ticks Live. https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/about/where-ticks-live.html
The spotted rash usually develops a few days after the start of fever. It can vary between splotches and smaller pinpoint dots.
CDC. Child's Rocky Mountain spotted fever rash. https://phil.cdc.gov/
Kentucky is part of the United States region where this disease is most common. This area stretches from the Mid-Atlantic states (Delaware, Maryland, lower New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, & Virginia) to Missouri, Oklahoma, and Arkansas.
CDC. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Data and Statistics. https://www.cdc.gov/rocky-mountain-spotted-fever/data-research/facts-stats/index.html
In Kentucky, cases are more common in the southern and western regions of the state.
Ehrlichiosis is caused by several bacteria of the Ehrlichia genus. These bacteria are transmitted by the the lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum).
Tick Encounter Resource Center, University of Rhode Island. http://www.tickencounter.org/
The lone star tick is common in Kentucky and is widely distributed in the eastern, southeastern and south-central United States.
Like Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Ehrlichiosis is most common from the Mid-Atlantic states (Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, & Virginia) to Oklahoma, Missouri and Arkansas.
CDC. Ehrlichiosis. Epidemiology and Statistics. https://www.cdc.gov/ehrlichiosis/stats/index.html
In Kentucky, cases are more common in the western area of the state. Another cluster of higher rate counties are in the southern Appalachian region.
Lyme disease is caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi which is carried by the Blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis).
Tick Encounter Resource Center, University of Rhode Island. http://www.tickencounter.org/
The blacklegged tick is common in Kentucky and is widely distributed across the eastern United States.
The distinctive "bull's-eye" rash, or erythema migrans in medical terminology, occurs in 70 to 80 percent of infected persons, and appears at the site of the bite 3-30 days after infection.
CDC. Lyme Disease. Signs and Symptoms. Lyme Disease Rashes. https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/signs_symptoms/rashes.html
Although Lyme disease was thought to be rare in Kentucky, changes in the blacklegged tick range may be contributing to an increased number of cases across the state.
Lyme disease is most commonly associated with the northeast and upper-midwest regions of the United States. The following map shows reported cases of Lyme disease reported to the CDC for 2022.
Cases have been found throughout the state, with several areas of higher incidence rates in southern and western Kentucky.
Ticks can live in grassy, brushy or wooded areas. They can also be found on our pets. To reduce your chances of coming in contact with ticks, the CDC recommends the following tips:
When you come indoors, there are several things you can do to reduce your chances of having a tick bite:
If you find a tick, you should remove it as soon as possible. CDC recommends the following:
Next, watch for symptoms for 30 days after tick bites. Call your healthcare provider if you experience a rash or fever.
Find a tick on you? The University of Kentucky Department of Entomology accepts ticks from the public that can be sent to them (follow shipping guide linked below) for tick identification and pathogen testing (if applicable). To be clear, this is not a medical diagnostic service. Please use the links below to learn more about the UK Tick Surveillance Program, how to ship ticks properly and where to find the results.
