Where in laboratories can a tick be tested? - briefly
Ticks are processed in dedicated entomology or diagnostic virology sections of a laboratory, usually within biosafety cabinets for morphological identification and molecular assays such as PCR. These areas provide the controlled environment required for pathogen detection and species confirmation.
Where in laboratories can a tick be tested? - in detail
Ticks submitted for analysis are processed in several designated zones of a diagnostic laboratory. The initial receipt area is a sealed accession desk where specimens are logged, labeled, and stored at 4 °C pending examination. Adjacent to this desk, a dedicated dissection station equipped with stereomicroscopes allows technicians to separate the tick from its container, remove external debris, and collect tissue samples.
The next zone is the molecular testing suite. This includes a biosafety cabinet where DNA extraction is performed using commercial kits or automated platforms. Extracted nucleic acids are transferred to a PCR workstation containing thermocyclers for pathogen detection (e.g., Borrelia, Rickettsia, Anaplasma). Separate pre‑ and post‑amplification areas prevent cross‑contamination.
A separate microbiology section houses culture plates and incubators for bacterial isolation when required. Here, sterile petri dishes are inoculated with homogenized tick material and incubated under specific atmospheric conditions (e.g., 5 % CO₂) to support growth of fastidious organisms.
For visual diagnosis, a histology lab provides paraffin embedding, microtome sectioning, and staining stations. Slides are examined under light microscopes to assess tick morphology and detect embedded pathogens. An electron microscopy facility may be used for ultrastructural analysis of viral particles.
Quality control and data management are conducted in the informatics core, where results are entered into a laboratory information system, validated, and transmitted to clinicians.
Key laboratory locations for tick testing:
- Specimen accession and cold storage desk
- Stereomicroscope dissection station
- Biosafety cabinet for DNA/RNA extraction
- PCR workstation and thermocycler room
- Culture incubator area
- Histology processing suite (embedding, sectioning, staining)
- Light and electron microscopy rooms
- Informatics and quality‑control office
Each area follows strict biosafety and contamination‑prevention protocols, ensuring accurate identification of tick species and associated pathogens.