EAST LANSING, Mich. – Black-legged ticks have been increasing across Michigan this summer, raising concerns about tick-borne illnesses like Lyme disease.
—> Michigan health officials alarmed by surge in Lyme disease cases
Researchers at Michigan State University say the large white-tailed deer population plays a key role in spreading these ticks.
To address the problem, MSU scientists are testing food capsules containing biomarkers to see if deer will eat them.
Each capsule currently includes corn, alfalfa, molasses, and a biomarker that helps track how many deer consume the capsules.
If successful, the capsules will eventually contain a vaccine to help deer build immunity to ticks, similar to how dogs are vaccinated.
The goal is to reduce the number of ticks on deer, which could lower the risk of tick-borne diseases for people spending time outdoors.
MSU professors describe this as an innovative method that could be a game-changer for controlling black-legged ticks and Lyme disease in Michigan. The capsules are being introduced in selected parks and land preserves in the Mid-Michigan area as part of the early phase of this research.
In the future, the team plans to add a drug or vaccine to the capsules to eliminate ticks on deer, aiming to stop the problem at its source.