Where should ticks be submitted for inspection? - briefly
Ticks must be forwarded to the appropriate state or provincial public health laboratory or to the designated veterinary diagnostic centre for examination.
Where should ticks be submitted for inspection? - in detail
Ticks intended for diagnostic or research analysis must be sent to authorized institutions equipped for arthropod identification and pathogen testing. Primary destinations include:
- State or provincial public health laboratories, which operate under national disease‑control programs and provide free or low‑cost tick testing for residents.
- Federal agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or equivalent national health institutes, which accept specimens from health professionals and, in some cases, directly from the public.
- Accredited university or veterinary school laboratories that specialize in entomology, vector‑borne disease research, or clinical pathology.
- Certified commercial diagnostic laboratories offering tick identification and pathogen detection services for a fee.
Each receiving facility requires specific submission procedures. Common requirements are:
- Placement of live or freshly killed ticks in a sealed, breathable container (e.g., a ventilated vial) with a moist substrate to prevent desiccation.
- Inclusion of a detailed label containing collection date, geographic location (GPS coordinates if possible), host species, and any observed symptoms in the host.
- Completion of a standardized request form or electronic entry outlining the purpose of testing (species identification, pathogen screening, etc.).
- Packaging of the specimen container within a secondary sealed bag, followed by compliance with postal or courier regulations for biological samples.
Contact information for the most frequently used laboratories can be obtained from official health department websites or from the CDC’s “Tick Submission” portal. When selecting a laboratory, verify current accreditation status, turnaround time, and cost structure to ensure appropriate handling of the material.