Where can you have a tick tested for encephalitis? - briefly
Tick specimens may be sent to state or county health department laboratories, hospital microbiology labs, or commercial veterinary diagnostic services for encephalitis testing. Contact your local health department to identify the nearest accredited testing facility.
Where can you have a tick tested for encephalitis? - in detail
Testing a tick for the presence of encephalitis‑causing viruses requires a certified laboratory equipped for molecular or serologic analysis. The most reliable options are:
- State or county health department laboratories – most jurisdictions operate a vector‑borne disease unit that accepts submitted ticks. Contact the local health office, request the specimen submission form, and follow their packaging instructions. Results are typically returned within 7‑14 days.
- University or research institute diagnostic centers – many schools of public health and veterinary medicine run tick‑testing services for clinicians and the public. Identify a nearby university with an entomology or infectious‑disease department, email the coordinator, and arrange courier delivery of the specimen.
- Commercial clinical laboratories – large reference labs (e.g., Quest Diagnostics, Labcorp) provide tick testing on a fee‑for‑service basis. Order a test through a physician or request a direct‑to‑consumer kit, then ship the tick in a sterile container with a cold pack.
- Veterinary diagnostic laboratories – animal‑health labs often process ticks removed from pets. Veterinary clinics can forward the specimen to their affiliated lab, which may also test for encephalitis viruses.
General procedure for submitting a tick:
- Remove the arthropod with fine tweezers, avoiding crushing the body.
- Place the tick in a sterile, sealable tube containing a small amount of 70 % ethanol or a dry, sterile container if the lab prefers live specimens.
- Label the tube with collection date, geographic location, and host information.
- Complete the laboratory’s requisition form, specifying the target pathogen (e.g., West Nile virus, Powassan virus, tick‑borne encephalitis virus) and the preferred assay (PCR, RT‑PCR, or serology).
- Ship the sample using a tracked courier service, adhering to any temperature or biosafety requirements indicated by the lab.
For immediate guidance, consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, which maintains a searchable directory of accredited tick‑testing facilities. The directory lists contact numbers, accepted specimen types, turnaround times, and cost information. Access is free and updates quarterly.