

#Nieto lab tick testing free
But between August 2016 and January 2017, you could have gotten a free analysis by sending it to Nathan Nieto's lab at Northern Arizona University. New research seeks to a better picture of the geographic spread of ticks that carry dangerous pathogens.Ĭould the tick that just bit you carry a pathogen that causes Lyme disease or another ailment? If you're worried, you could ship the offending bug to a private testing service to find out. Connecticut is among the 14 states from which nearly 95% of Lyme disease cases in the United States are reported, and it had the 7th highest incidence per 100,000 population (n = 1859, number of confirmed and probable cases) in 2018.ĭetailed information about the Tick Testing Laboratory, personal protection measures, tick control measures, and tick-associated diseases can be found at ct.gov/caes.Time outdoors leaves you vulnerable to tick bites and the diseases they can transmit. Lyme disease is the most commonly reported vector-borne disease in the United States and affects an estimated 329,000 people annually and can cause severe damage to joints and the nervous system. In the United States, the number of reported cases of tick-borne diseases has more than doubled between 20, and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 80% of the nationally notifiable vector-borne disease cases are transmitted by ticks. Ticks and tick-borne diseases are increasingly becoming a major public health concern. “Reducing exposure to ticks by avoiding infested areas and using repellants when hiking or camping and conducting tick checks remain the best defense against Lyme disease and other tick-borne infections,” added Dr. Goudarz Molaei who directs the CAES Passive Tick Surveillance and Testing Program. “We are currently in the midst of the peak activity season for adult blacklegged ticks, and nearing the season for increased nymphal activity, which are often more difficult to detect because of their small size and propensity to quickly attach and feed,” said Dr. phagocytophilum in 1.2% and with all three pathogens/parasites in 0.9%. Of these, 35.7% tested positive for Borrelia burgdorferi (the causative agent of Lyme disease), 9.4% for B. In 2019, the laboratory tested 3,517 blacklegged (deer) ticks for evidence of infection. So far in 2020, the CAES-TTL has received and tested over 1,200 tick submissions. In 2015, the program was expanded to include testing for two emerging tick-associated pathogens for the first time: Babesia microti, the causative agent of babesiosis, and Anaplasma phagocytophilum, the causative agent of human granulocytic anaplasmosis. Each year, an average of 3,000 ticks are submitted for testing. Residents should submit ticks to their local health departments for delivery to the Station. The CAES-TTL has tested ticks for Lyme disease as an important service in protecting the health and well-being of state residents since 1990. Although it is not clear whether infections with tick-borne diseases increase the severity of illness with the novel coronavirus, people should exercise caution and avoid tick encounters while hiking in the woods or enjoying spring in their backyards or parks.


Importantly, it has been shown that people who are exposed to COVID-19 are at increased risk if they have underlying health conditions. The Tick Testing Laboratory is one of those critical programs,” notes Dr. “Although about 80% of our staff have been working from home since late March, CAES has kept important public health, regulatory and diagnostic programs operational. NEW HAVEN- The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station - Tick Testing Laboratory (CAES-TTL) has remained open during the Corona virus pandemic and reminds state residents to be aware of the ongoing risks associated with tick-borne diseases.
