Tick surveillance and pathogen testing in 41 rural counties in Kentucky

Tick-borne diseases are a growing threat in public health, especially in rural areas where surveillance is limited. This study shows the results of the tick active surveillance program conducted in 41 rural counties in Kentucky. We sampled tick populations from June 2023 to June 2025 and evaluated species diversity, abundance, and presence of pathogens using standardized trapping and collecting methods. We used the main methods to collect ticks, the cloth-dragging method. Collected ticks were identified to species level, and Borrelia burgdorferi, Rickettsia rickettsii, and Ehrlichia chaffeensis were tested. The distribution of tick species is shown in different regions. Based on surveillance, the most abundant tick species was Amblyomma americanum and pathogens were detected in different rural counties. These findings highlight the importance of tick surveillance in rural counties to detect early and provide data to guide and support rural communities. In addition, this can predict disease emergence in rural counties in Kentucky.