Where should a tick be submitted for examination? - briefly
Submit the tick to a qualified public‑health or veterinary diagnostic laboratory, such as the state health department’s vector‑borne disease lab or the CDC’s Arbovirus Laboratory. These facilities possess the expertise and equipment needed to identify the species and test for associated pathogens.
Where should a tick be submitted for examination? - in detail
Submitting a collected tick for professional analysis requires choosing a facility equipped to identify species, test for pathogens, and provide reliable results. The most common options include public health laboratories, veterinary diagnostic centers, university research labs, and commercial testing services.
Public health agencies often operate state or regional laboratories that accept ticks for routine surveillance. Contact the state department of health to obtain submission forms, packaging instructions, and shipping addresses. These labs typically test for bacterial agents such as Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum.
Veterinary diagnostic facilities, usually affiliated with animal hospitals or specialty clinics, accept ticks from pets and wildlife. They can perform both morphological identification and molecular assays for a broader range of pathogens, including Ehrlichia spp. and tick-borne viruses.
University entomology or microbiology departments maintain reference collections and research‑grade laboratories. Researchers may accept submissions for species confirmation and experimental testing, often requiring detailed collection data (date, location, host).
Commercial tick‑testing companies provide mail‑in services for the public. Their websites supply kits with pre‑filled vials containing ethanol or RNAlater, clear labeling guidelines, and prepaid shipping labels. Results are delivered electronically, sometimes within a week.
When preparing the specimen, follow these steps:
- Place the tick in a sterile tube containing 70 % ethanol or a nucleic‑acid preservation solution; avoid crushing the organism.
- Record collection information: date, geographic coordinates, host species, and environmental conditions.
- Seal the container, label with the recorded data, and include a completed submission form.
- Ship via a courier that permits biological specimens, using a secondary container for added protection.
Choosing the appropriate laboratory depends on the purpose of testing (public health monitoring, veterinary diagnosis, or personal inquiry), the required turnaround time, and the range of pathogens of interest. Direct contact with the receiving institution ensures compliance with local regulations and optimizes the likelihood of accurate identification.