Where should a tick be stored before examination? - briefly
Store the tick in a sealed, ventilated container kept at refrigeration temperature (about 4 °C) to preserve viability. Maintain a humid environment inside the container, such as a damp cotton ball, to prevent desiccation until it is examined.
Where should a tick be stored before examination? - in detail
Ticks collected for diagnostic or research purposes must be kept in conditions that preserve morphology, DNA, and any pathogens they may carry. The following practices constitute the accepted protocol.
- Place the specimen in a small, sealable container such as a screw‑cap microtube or a zip‑lock bag. Ensure the container is clearly labeled with collection date, location, host information, and collector’s name.
- Add a sufficient volume of 70 % ethanol to submerge the tick completely. Ethanol arrests enzymatic activity, prevents desiccation, and maintains nucleic acid integrity for molecular assays.
- Store the sealed container at 4 °C (refrigerator temperature) if examination will occur within a few weeks. For longer intervals, keep the container at –20 °C or –80 °C to further protect nucleic acids and reduce degradation of viral particles.
- Avoid repeated freeze‑thaw cycles; transfer the specimen to a permanent storage medium only once the final analysis is planned.
- Keep the storage area clean, free of cross‑contamination, and clearly separated from unrelated biological samples.
When immediate analysis is planned, a live tick may be kept in a ventilated container with a moist cotton pad at room temperature, but only for a maximum of 24 hours. Under no circumstances should the arthropod be exposed to direct sunlight, extreme heat, or low humidity, as these conditions compromise structural integrity and pathogen viability.
Documentation accompanying the specimen should include:
- Species identification (if known) or morphological description.
- Host species and attachment site.
- Date and time of removal.
- Environmental conditions at the collection site (temperature, humidity).
Adhering to these storage guidelines ensures reliable morphological examination, accurate molecular detection, and safe handling of potentially infectious material.