In 2016, more than 200 cases of Lyme disease were reported in Michigan. Lyme disease is caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi, which is carried by Deer ticks, and is the most common tick-borne illness in the U.S.
Two different types of ticks make up over 90% of the tick population in Michigan: the American dog tick (75%); and the Black-legged tick, or more widely known as the Deer tick, (15%).