Where can you submit tests after a tick bite? - briefly
Samples may be sent to your primary‑care clinician, the local health department, or a state public‑health laboratory that provides tick‑borne disease testing. Several states also accept direct submissions through the CDC’s Tick‑Test program or accredited private diagnostic labs.
Where can you submit tests after a tick bite? - in detail
After a tick attachment, specimens can be forwarded to several types of facilities for laboratory analysis.
First, regional public‑health laboratories accept tick or blood samples for testing for Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and other tick‑borne pathogens. Contact the local health department to obtain submission forms, packaging instructions, and shipping labels.
Second, hospital or clinic laboratories often provide in‑house testing for common infections such as Borrelia burgdorferi. Request a physician’s order; the specimen will be processed on the same day or within 24 hours, depending on the test panel.
Third, commercial diagnostic companies (e.g., Quest Diagnostics, LabCorp) receive mailed specimens from physicians, urgent‑care centers, or directly from patients in some states. Use the provider’s electronic ordering portal to generate a requisition, then follow the courier guidelines for temperature control and biohazard labeling.
Fourth, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) operates a reference‑testing service for rare or atypical cases. Submissions require a completed case investigation form, a detailed exposure history, and a frozen tick or blood sample shipped on dry ice. Results are reported within 10–14 days.
Fifth, veterinary laboratories accept ticks removed from pets for species identification and pathogen screening. Contact a veterinary clinic or an accredited animal‑health laboratory; they typically provide a prepaid mailer and a result report within a week.
When preparing a sample, use a sterile container, keep the tick alive in a sealed vial with a damp cotton ball, or preserve blood in an EDTA tube. Store the material at 4 °C if shipping within 48 hours; otherwise, freeze at –20 °C. Include a completed requisition, patient identifiers, and a brief clinical summary.
By following these channels, clinicians and patients can obtain accurate diagnostic information to guide treatment after a tick exposure.