And it’s FREE!
Posted by Phoiph (Member # 41238) on :
Bartenderbonnie,
I believe they are only offering tick identification (i.e., type of tick), not testing for diseases the tick may be carrying.
Posted by kgg (Member # 5867) on :
Phoiph is correct. They only identify the tick not what pathogens it is carrying. I do not find that helpful, as ALL ticks can carry pathogens.
A search shows this for tick testing for pathogens:
AI Overview
For tick pathogen testing in North Carolina, options include specialized private labs, veterinary diagnostics, and medical lab services. Galaxy Diagnostics in NC offers advanced molecular testing, while national services like Ticknology and IGeneX provide mail-in tick testing. Labcorp also offers human testing for tick-borne diseases in NC.
Tick Pathogen Testing Laboratories:
[Galaxy Diagnostics (RTP, NC): Specializes in testing for Bartonella, Babesia, and Borrelia (Lyme).
Ticknology: Provides nationwide mail-in testing with 24-72 hour results and covers over 14 pathogens.
IGeneX: Offers comprehensive tick testing for Borrelia, TBRF, Babesia, Anaplasma, and more.
PA Tick Research Lab: Offers reliable mail-in tick testing services (not based in NC but accepts nationwide samples).
EMSL Analytical: Provides pathogen testing of ticks.North Carolina Resources & Services
Posted by hiker53 (Member # 6046) on :
This is helpful. Thank you.
Posted by Phoiph (Member # 41238) on :
Did you pull it off clothing or did it bit you? If it bit you, you need immediate medical treatment.
ILADS (International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society) guidelines;
“ Prophylaxis and Treatment” Evidence indicates that 20 days of prophylactic antibiotic treatment may be highly effective for preventing the onset of Lyme disease after known Ixodes tick bite.
Patients with early Lyme disease may be best served by receiving 4-6 weeks of antibiotic therapy. Cases of chronic B. burgdorferi infection require individualized treatment plans.
Black-legged Tick Bite • If administered promptly after an Ixodes tick bite, 20 days of doxycycline may prevent the patient from contracting Lyme disease. Recent mouse studies demonstrate that the effectiveness of this strategy falls off dramatically if administration begins > 48 hours post tick removal.
ILADS recommends that EM patients receive 4-6 weeks of doxycycline, amoxicillin or cefuroxime as initial therapy. A minimum of 21 days of azithromycin is also acceptable and has been shown to be especially effective against European strains of Borrelia.
The LivLyme Foundation has a Tick Tracker download where you can report the area you found the tick. https://ticktracker.com/
My Wild website offers Real Time Tick Forecast and Lyme Disease Risk maps (just enter your zip code) https://mywild.report/
There are many states that offer their residents FREE tick testing but I could not find one in North Carolina. Bay Area Lyme used to offer FREE tick testing but discontinued due to escalating costs and labor. Many other organizations encountered the same demise.
I did find one organization that STILL offers FREE tick testing so it might be an option for you.
Nebraska Medical Center College of Public Health 984355 Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE 68198-4355 Phone: 402-559-4960 Fax: 402-559-4961 Email: [email protected]
I DO NOT LIVE IN NEBRASKA. CAN I STILL SUBMIT MY TICK?
Yes, the major goal of this program is to understand ticks and their pathogens across the greater Midwest and United States, so ticks from a variety of locations is highly beneficial to us. Any individual across any state is welcome to submit a tick. The submission form will ask for location from where the tick was collected.
Good Luck gigimac. 💚
Posted by Phoiph (Member # 41238) on :
Unless you are sure you haven't been bitten and are just curious, I would not waste the tick on a lab that only does identification, as you will need that tick to identify the pathogens it is carrying.
My understanding is this is a live tick that was pulled off...I would have it tested for pathogens asap!