The worst place on earth when it comes to ticks are the United States. Best place in the world is northern Canada, as ticks in that region of the world do not carry any disease and/or do not bite humans (another reasons why Ulfs like Northern Canada). Northern Norway doesn’t have much going on either when it comes to ticks. Southern Canada has some ticks carrying diseases though (also present in the United States), and so does southern Norway.
Noteworthy is that removing biting tick within 24 hours in Europe, and 36 hours in North America will nearly eliminate the risk of contracting Lyme Diseases. That’s the good news. Bad news is that there are way more things you can catch with a tick bite.
Here’s an overview of ticks, range, diseases, and risk based on several regions:
United States
Lone Star Tick (Amblyomma americanum)
Range: Southern United States, as well as the eastern United States
Diseases: Ehrlichia chaffeensis and E. ewingii (which cause human ehrlichiosis), Francisella tularensis (tularemia), Heartland virus (Heartland virus disease), Bourbon virus (Bourbon virus disease), and Southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI).
Risk: Highest in early spring to late fall. Tick is very aggressive with humans. Typically, only females bite (surprise), and they are identified by a white dot on their back. Allergic reactions associated with consumption of red (mammalian) meat have been reported among persons bitten by lone star ticks.
Blacklegged tick/deer tick (Ixodes scapularis)
Range: Across the United States, especially the eastern United States
Diseases: Borrelia burgdorferi and B. mayonii (which cause Lyme disease), Anaplasma phagocytophilum (anaplasmosis), B. miyamotoi disease (a form of relapsing fever), Ehrlichia muris eauclairensis (ehrlichiosis), Babesia microti (babesiosis), and Powassan virus (Powassan virus disease).
Risk: Greatest risk of being bitten exists in the spring, summer, and fall in the Northeast, Upper Midwest and mid-Atlantic. Typically, only females bite humans.
American Dog Tick (Dermacentor variabilis)
Range: East of the Rocky Mountains and occasionally on the Pacific Coast.
Diseases: Francisella tularensis (tularemia) and Rickettsia rickettsii (Rocky Mountain spotted fever).
Risk: The greatest risk of being bitten occurs during spring and summer. Adult females are most likely to bite humans.
Brown Dog Tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus)
Range: Entire United States.
Diseases: Rickettsia rickettsii (Rocky Mountain spotted fever). Primary vector for R. rickettsii transmission in the southwestern United States and along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Risk: The tick is usually found on dogs, but can also bite humans and other mammals on occasions.
Groundhog Tick (Ixodes cookei)
Range: Eastern half of the United States
Diseases: Powassan virus (Powassan virus disease).
Risk: Usually found on warm-blooded animals, including groundhogs, skunks, squirrels, raccoons, foxes, weasels, and occasionally people and domestic animals.
Gulf Coats Tick (Amblyomma maculatum)
Range: Southeastern and mid-Atlantic states, as well as southern Arizona.
Diseases: R. parkeri (R. parkeri rickettsiosis), a form of spotted fever.
Risk: Larvae and nymphs feed on birds and small rodents, while adult ticks feed on deer and other wildlife. Adult ticks have been associated with transmission of R. parkeri to humans.
Rocky Mountain Wood Tick (Dermacentor andersoni)
Range: Rocky Mountains.
Diseases: Rickettsia rickettsii (Rocky Mountain spotted fever), Colorado tick fever virus (Colorado tick fever), and Francisella tularensis (tularemia).
Risk: Adult ticks feed primarily on large mammals. Larvae and nymphs feed on small rodents. Adult ticks are primarily associated with pathogen transmission to humans.
Soft Tick (Ornithodoros spp.)
Range: Throughout the western half of the United States, including Texas.
Diseases: Borrelia hermsii, B. turicatae (tick-borne relapsing fever [TBRF]).
Risk: The ticks emerge at night and feed briefly while people are sleeping. Most people are unaware that they have been bitten.
Western Black Legged Tick (Ixodes pacificus)
Range: Pacific Coast states.
Diseases: Anaplasma phagocytophilum (anaplasmosis), B. burgdorferi (Lyme disease), and very likely B. miyamotoi (Borrelia miyamotoi disease, a form of relapsing fever).
Risk: Larvae and nymphs often feed on lizards, birds, and rodents, and adults more commonly feed on deer. Although all life stages bite humans, nymphs and adult females are more often reported on humans.
Canada
Blacklegged tick/deer tick (Ixodes scapularis)
Range: Southern regions (All provinces but not territories).
Diseases: Borrelia burgdorferi and B. mayonii (which cause Lyme disease), Anaplasma phagocytophilum (anaplasmosis), B. miyamotoi disease (a form of relapsing fever), Ehrlichia muris eauclairensis (ehrlichiosis), Babesia microti (babesiosis), and Powassan virus (Powassan virus disease).
Risk: Greatest risk of being bitten exists in the spring, summer, and fall in the Northeast, Upper Midwest and mid-Atlantic. Typically, only females bite humans.
Western Black Legged Tick (Ixodes pacificus)
Range: British Columbia.
Diseases: Anaplasma phagocytophilum (anaplasmosis), B. burgdorferi (Lyme disease), and very likely B. miyamotoi (Borrelia miyamotoi disease, a form of relapsing fever).
Risk: Larvae and nymphs often feed on lizards, birds, and rodents, and adults more commonly feed on deer. Although all life stages bite humans, nymphs and adult females are more often reported on humans.
Winter ticks (Dermacentor albipictus)
Range: Yukon and Northwest Territories
Diseases: None on humans.
Risk: None for humans.
Rabitt Tick (Haemaphysalis leporispalustris)
Range: Yukon and Northwest Territories
Diseases: None on humans.
Risk: None for humans.
Norway
Sheep tick (Ixodes ricinus)
Range: All of Norway (but most common in areas south of and including Brønnøysund), and primarily in forested areas.
Diseases: Primarily Borrelia burgdorferi and B. mayonii (which cause Lyme disease). Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in southern Norway only. Also Anaplasmosis (Anaplasma phagocytophilium), Babesiosis (Babesia spp.), Tularemia or Rabbit Fever (Francisella tularensis).
Risk: Risk of catching lyme disease in Norway following a bite is at around 2%. Risk of Lyme disease is greatly reduced if tick is removed within 24 hours of bite. Risk of TBE is not decreased if tick is removed quickly, however, there is a vaccine against TBE.
Europe
Sheep tick (Ixodes ricinus)
Range: All of Norway (but most common in areas south of and including Brønnøysund), and primarily in forested areas.
Diseases: Primarily Borrelia burgdorferi and B. mayonii (which cause Lyme disease). Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in southern Norway only. Also Anaplasmosis (Anaplasma phagocytophilium), Babesiosis (Babesia spp.), Tularemia or Rabbit Fever (Francisella tularensis).Risk: Risk of catching lyme disease in Norway following a bite is at around 2%. Risk of Lyme disease is greatly reduced if tick is removed within 24 hours of bite. Risk of TBE is not decreased if tick is removed quickly, however, there is a vaccine against TBE.
Mediterranean Hyalomma (Hyalomma marginatum)
Range: Southern Europe, Russia, and Africa
Diseases: Alkhurma haemorrhagic fever (ALKV), Babesiosis (Babesia spp.), Boreliosis/Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi), Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF), Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), Rickettsia rickettsii (Rocky Mountain spotted fever), Anaplasma phagocytophilum (anaplasmosis), and Tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF).
Risk: The most south you go, the higher the risk.
