Bitten by a tick? You should send your tick for testing as soon as possible to avoid health complications.
How Does A Tick Testing Work?
Upon receipt, ticks will be identified, condition noted, dissected, homogenized and cultured in a medium specifically formulated to support the growth of the microorganism. Live ticks will yield the most favorable results, however dead ticks may also be tested if alive within 48 hours before mailing. Attempts should be made to keep them alive by refrigerating prior to mailing.
Reports will be issued after several day and up to two weeks (interim) and after four weeks (final). If a spirochete is seen, clients will be notified immediately by phone.
If no spirochetes are detected during testing, this may not mean that the tick was not infected. Negative test results are not a guarantee that the person bitten will not develop Lyme Disease. A person bitten by a non-infected tick is considered not likely to contract Lyme Disease from that tick bite. In many instances, those diagnosed with Lyme Disease do not recall a previous tick bite.
Live ticks are the best specimens for testing. Ticks may be in less than optimum condition for testing: if exposed to anything other than water or air; if not intact or preserved properly in a water moistened atmosphere; or if not refrigerated within 48 hours after expiration.
A positive test result does not necessarily mean transmission of disease has occurred. Tick testing results are not definitive in diagnosing Lyme Disease and other illnesses. Other diseases can occur after a tick bite. Testing should be used as an aid by your physician in the diagnosis and therapeutic management of Lyme Disease.
Blumed laboratory provides a very valuable service to the consumer, testing ticks removed from humans, pets or the environment for the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. So. if you have been bitten by a tick, don’t wait. Send your tick for testing.
