Madison Area Lyme Support Group

Graphic courtesy of Lymestats.org

http://www.bayarealyme.org/lyme-disease-prevention/tick-testing/

Send ticks on vacation to Arizona!

Not only will your tick get to visit the copper state they will also be tested to determine what bacteria they are carrying.  You will receive an email detailing the species identified and the list of positive and negative results.

U.S. Ticks will be tested for 6 bacterial infections: Borrelia burgdorferi, which causes Lyme disease; Borrelia miyamotoi, which causes tick-borne relapsing fever; Anaplasma phagocytophilum, which causes human granulocytic anaplasmosis, Ehrlichia chafeensis, which causes human monocytic erhlichiosis, and Rickettsia ricketts, the agent of Rocky-mountain spotted fever, and the protozoan pathogen, Babesia microti. Results will be available within five business days of receipt based on estimated volumes, and the data will be reported to the sender by email, as well as mapped, categorized and recorded.

To participate, put your tick in a small Ziploc baggie with a moist cotton ball or piece of wet paper towel. Fill out this 2-page PDF  http://yjdst3t2ce610lp8n38ginr6.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Bay-Area-Lyme-Tick-Testing-Form.pdf completely, electronically, or print and fill out by hand. Put the baggie and the document in a small padded envelope.

Send your tick along with the signed paperwork via regular US mail to:

Nathan Nieto, Assistant Professor Microbiology
Department of Biological Sciences
617 S. Beaver Street
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ 86011

Make this into a family project!  See how many ticks you can gather and identify.  Click the link below to see if you can determine what species you’ve found. http://www.tickencounter.org/tick_identification/tick_species

http://www.abc.net.au/health/features/stories/2015/02/12/4178721.htm                             How to remove a tick

Bay Area Lyme Foundation’s goal is to provide free, timely information as to whether they have been bitten by – or collected – an infected or uninfected tick.  Sending ticks allows their scientific researchers to gather data about ticks from all over the U.S.  By sending your tick you are participating in a citizen research project and national tick-collection/testing effort which will enable scientists to compare past and potential future distributions of ticks and tick-borne disease.