Buckeye Strong Against Tick Threats

Tick-borne diseases are a growing health concern in Ohio. With new tick species and the exploding tick population, the risk to humans, pets, livestock, and entire communities continues to rise. Ticks like the blacklegged tick, Asian longhorned tick, and lone star tick pose serious threats—not only to people and pets through diseases like Lyme disease and alpha gal syndrome—but also to Ohio’s agricultural economy by transmitting illnesses that can weaken or kill cattle and other farm animals.

Whether you're hiking in Hocking Hills, gardening in Cleveland, walking your dog in Columbus, or raising livestock on a family farm, tick-borne diseases pose serious threats to people, pets, and agriculture. Your gift—no matter the amount—ensures we can continue our mission to stay at the forefront of cutting-edge tick research, expand tick testing and statewide surveillance, train future tick experts, and protect the health and economy of the Buckeye State.

Your donation is more than a gift—it’s a direct investment in the health and well-being of Ohio’s people, pets, farms, and communities. You are helping shape the future of public health across the Buckeye State. The impact of your support includes:

• Advancing Tick-Borne Disease Research: Ohio is now home to increasing populations of ticks and tick species—all capable of transmitting serious diseases. Your support enables research into pathogens that cause diseases like Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, helping scientists better understand tick ecology, disease transmission, emerging threats to human and animal health, and the efficacy of different interventions.
• Tick Testing: Through a partnership between the College of Veterinary Medicine and the Infectious Diseases Institute, tick identification and tick-borne pathogen testing is made possible through Buckeye Tick Test. Whether individual tick submissions or large-volume tick submissions from public and private organizations, Buckeye Tick Test is here to keep the Buckeye State healthy. With your support, we can expand testing to targeted high-risk areas and serve thousands more Ohioans and create opportunities for collaborative research through a common diagnostic lab.
• Statewide Tick Surveillance: Tick surveillance—the systematic collection and analysis of ticks—is essential to understanding where ticks are spreading and what diseases they carry.  Every tick identified and tested contributes to a growing statewide database that tracks tick species, population changes, and pathogen trends. Buckeye Tick Test has processed over 5,000 ticks to date, with nearly 800 testing positive for disease-causing pathogens.  This data is critical for guiding public health responses, identifying emerging threats, and protecting Ohio communities. 
• Tick Education and Outreach: We equip Ohio residents with the knowledge they need to stay safe outdoors. From school programs to community workshops, we’re building awareness and capacity for surveillance and bite prevention across the Buckeye State.
• Training Future Tick Experts: Ohio State is building the nation’s next generation of tick scientists. Through expert tick researchers and related research programs, students and trainees gain hands-on experience in tick diagnostics, disease ecology, epidemiology, and public health communication. This effort positions Ohio State as a national hub for tick-borne disease expertise—educating and empowering Buckeye Nation to lead the fight against vector-borne threats.

At Ohio State, we create solutions the world needs now- but we can only do this with the help of people like you. Every gift is another step toward a brighter tomorrow. All gifts, regardless of amount, add to our collective strength. Your gift today will help find the solutions of tomorrow. Can we count on your support?