Lyme Cases Up 168% in Michigan; MSU Proposes Vaccine-Bait for Deer

Here in Michigan this year, ticks have been one huge pain in the neck, and they've become a growing public health concern too. A recent study done by Michigan State University is reacting to that by focusing on white-tailed deer, a core host for black-legged ticks (deer ticks). The number of deer ticks is slowly increasing here in the state of Michigan.

Tick Spread and Disease Trends in Michigan

Lyme disease cases have jumped up by 168% from 2020 to 2024, from 452 cases to over 1,200 cases. Those numbers are huge leaps from where they had been. Anaplasmosis, another disease carried by black-legged ticks, has surged almost fivefold in the same period of time.

Tick species are getting established in more counties. Officials have detected black-legged ticks in all 83 Michigan counties now.

MSU’s Strategy: Biomarkers, Bait, and Vaccine

The new initiative that MSU is trying is set to hopefully change that. They plan to feed deer capsules made of corn, molasses, and alfalfa. Inside that food is a biomarker. If deer consume them, the next step is adding a vaccine to the baited snacks so deer have immunity to ticks.

The goal is to reduce tick loads on deer, resulting in fewer ticks in the landscape and a lower risk to humans.

Role of Climate: Longer Warm Seasons and Milder Winters

Factors that exacerbate this issue currently are warmer winters and longer warm seasons. Those two things let ticks survive and stay active for more months. Plus, surveillance is expanding and helping us see just how widespread the tick problem has become in Michigan.

This new attempt by MSU's vaccine could be something that really changes the game in ticks spreading across Michigan. With tick-borne illnesses rising, prevention is very important.