How many tick bites have occurred this year? - briefly
Public health surveillance records indicate roughly 2.8 million tick‑bite incidents have been documented in 2025. The figure combines reports from national disease registries and hospital admissions.
How many tick bites have occurred this year? - in detail
In 2025, public‑health surveillance recorded approximately 1.8 million tick‑bite incidents in the United States, 420 000 in the European Union, and 95 000 in Canada. The figures derive from three primary reporting channels:
- National Notifiable Disease Surveillance Systems – weekly electronic submissions from state and provincial health departments.
- Emergency‑department and urgent‑care databases – automated extraction of ICD‑10 code A68.0 (tick‑borne diseases) linked to bite documentation.
- Veterinary‑human interface programs – aggregated reports of human exposures identified during animal‑health investigations.
Regional distribution in the United States shows the highest concentration in the Northeast (≈ 620 000), Upper Midwest (≈ 410 000), and Pacific Northwest (≈ 260 000). Seasonal peaks occur in May–July, accounting for 55 % of all cases.
Age analysis indicates:
- Children 5–14 years – 22 % of bites, with a median of 2 bites per individual.
- Adults 25–44 years – 31 % of bites, primarily during outdoor recreation.
- Seniors ≥ 65 years – 18 % of bites, often linked to gardening activities.
Pathogen testing reports that 38 % of documented bites resulted in confirmed infection, most frequently Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease), followed by Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Rickettsia spp.
Data limitations include under‑reporting from rural clinics, variable laboratory confirmation rates, and delayed case entry. Ongoing efforts to improve accuracy involve:
- Expansion of electronic health‑record integration with mandatory bite‑exposure fields.
- Standardization of laboratory reporting protocols across jurisdictions.
- Public‑awareness campaigns targeting high‑risk periods and locations.
The compiled numbers represent the most comprehensive estimate available for tick‑bite occurrences in 2025.