Skip main navigation

Military Health System

Clear Your Browser Cache

This website has recently undergone changes. Users finding unexpected concerns may care to clear their browser's cache to ensure a seamless experience.

Notice to Readers: Vector-borne Disease Branch Detects Borrelia miyamotoi in Human Tick Submission

Image of female Ixodes scapularis or deer tick. Female Ixodes scapularis tick, or Deer Tick, a primary vector for hard tick relapsing fever.

The Defense Centers Public Health–Aberdeen Vector-Borne Disease Branch has confirmed the presence of Borrelia miyamotoi, an emerging tick-borne pathogen that causes hard tick relapsing fever. This pathogen was detected for the first time at DCPH-A, following implementation of a new molecular test to detect and differentiate between the related agents of Lyme disease and HTRF. The pathogen was found in a human-biting tick submitted in January 2023 to the Military Tick Identification/Infection Confirmation Kit (MilTICK) Program.

MilTICK offers free testing and identification services for ticks removed from Department of Defense beneficiaries, including service members from all branches, civilians, contractors, retirees, and dependents. Any tick found biting an eligible person can be submitted to MilTICK by health care providers through tick kits available at DOD health care facilities, or by individuals through a simple mail-in process. Approximately 3,000 human-biting ticks are tested each year, with each tick species identified, assessed for duration of attachment, and tested for the relevant suite of human pathogens. Results are returned via email to the point of contact provided on the MilTICK form and are used to assess the risk of tick-borne disease to military personnel. Recent tick surveillance data can be accessed through the MilTICK CAC-enabled data dashboard at https://carepoint.health.mil/.

For additional information, or to request tick kits or services, contact the VBD Branch:

Phone: 410-436-5421 or 410-436-5425

Email: usarmy.apg.medcom-a.phc.mbx.tickcom@health.mil

Website: https://phc.amedd.army.mil/topics/envirohealth/epm/Pages/HumanTickTestKitProgram.aspx

You also may be interested in...

Article
Jun 1, 2023

Absolute and Relative Morbidity Burdens Attributable to Various Illnesses and Injuries Among Active Component Members, U.S. Coast Guard, 2022

This report employs the same disease classification system and health care burden measures as employed in the MSMR burden analysis of the U.S. Armed Forces active component to quantify the impacts of various illnesses and injuries among members of the active component of the U.S. Coast Guard in 2022.

Report
Jun 1, 2023

MSMR Vol. 30 No. 6 - June 2023

.PDF | 1.55 MB

This annual issue quantifies the impacts of various illnesses and injuries in 2022 among members of the active component of the U.S. Armed Forces as well as the U.S. Coast Guard; health care burden metrics include the total number of medical encounters, including hospitalizations and ambulatory services, as well as numbers and types of individuals ...

Video
May 23, 2023

Fleas Can Be Annoying!

MHS Bug Week | Fleas

Prevention is key for protecting you and your pets from the diseases that fleas carry. Learn the tips and tricks to keep the fleas away. Visit www.health.mil/bugs for more information.

Article
May 1, 2023

Increasing Incidence Rates of Eosinophilic Esophagitis in Active Component Service Members, U.S. Armed Forces, 2009–2021

A respiratory therapist visualizes the vocal chords of a patient using an endoscopy tool

This study examines the incidence of eosinophilic esophagitis among the active component of the U.S. Armed Forces from 2009 to 2021. Reported prevalence has been increasing worldwide, with a recent meta-analysis estimating 34.2 cases per 100,000 persons.

Article
May 1, 2023

Enhanced Mpox Outbreak Case Detection Among MHS Beneficiaries Through Use of ESSENCE (Electronic Surveillance System for the Early Notification of Community-based Epidemics)

A colorized scanning electron microscopic image of the mpox virus on the surface of infected VERO E6 cells

This report describes how ESSENCE, which collects near real-time biosurveillance data globally on U.S. military personnel, monitored the mpox outbreak in 2002 and assesses its detection of confirmed/probable cases among MHS beneficiaries. ESSENCE systematically queries millions of health encounters to detect records of potential public health ...

Article
May 1, 2023

Portable RT-PCR and MinION Nanopore Sequencing as a Proof-of-Concept SARS-CoV-2 Biosurveillance in Wastewater

Wastewater treatment facility

This study reports on the efficacy of 2 different portable nucleic acid detection technologies, RT-PCR and MinION Mk1C nanopore sequencing, which identified SARS-CoV-2 variants in wastewater collected at Tyndall AFB during a 2-month surveillance. This highly multiplexed approach circumvented signal dropout associated with the detection of newly ...

Report
May 1, 2023

MSMR Vol. 30 No. 5 - May 2023

.PDF | 1023.59 KB

The May 2023 MSMR reintroduces a monthly reportable medical event (RME) summary for the active component and MHS beneficiaries; then features a review of enhanced mpox outbreak case detection among MHS beneficiaries through ESSENCE (Electronic Surveillance System for the Early Notification of Community-based Epidemics); followed by a report on ...

Article Around MHS
Apr 11, 2023

Navy Entomology Center of Excellence Arms the Department of Defense’s Experts in the Fight for Public Health

U.S. Air Force Capt. Deanna Scheff (left) receiving pesticide application training from U.S. Air Force Ensign Benfry DeJesus (right) during the largest inter-agency pesticide certification course delivered in nearly five years on Naval Air Station Jacksonville. (Photo by U.S. Navy Lt. Nicholas Johnston)

Navy Entomology Center of Excellence staff trained and equipped active duty preventive medicine and civilian pest control personnel representing U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Army during the largest inter-agency pesticide certification course delivered in nearly five years on Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida, Jan. 23.

Article
Apr 1, 2023

Update: Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke Among Active Component Members of the U.S. Armed Forces, 2018–2022

Immediate recognition and response are necessary to prevent serious effects of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

This year's annual update on the incidence of heat illness among U.S. active duty service members presents the case counts and incidence rates of heat illnesses between 2018 and 2022, as well as the locations of heat illness case occurrences during this period. Heat stroke and heat exhaustion are summarized separately.

Skip subpage navigation
Refine your search
Last Updated: July 11, 2023
Follow us on Instagram Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on YouTube Sign up on GovDelivery