It has been reported that ticks usually
feed for 48 hours before transmitting
the bacteria to the victim. Improper
removal of the tick may increase the
chances of infection. Using irritants
or squeezing the tick during removal
may lead to increased chances of infection
by the tick.
A: How long does the tick need to be
on the skin in order to transmit the
bacteria that causes Lyme's disease
(Borrelia burgdorferi)?
Q: If a tick is captured and frozen
for a week, is the test still valid?
A: Yes. Bacterial DNA is stable even
at room temperature and once the tick
dies, the contents of the digestive
tract tend to dry up and the test would
still be valid.
Q: While removing the tick, it was broken
into tiny pieces and all I have left
is the legs. Would the legs be enough
to run the PCR assay?
A:
No. You will need an intact tick with
the digestive tract where the bacteria
lives. Try not to damage the tick
during removal from the skin.
Q: Do
I need to send the tick on ice?
A: No.
Shipping at room temperature is good
enough. Please include padding to
protect the tick during transit from
being crushed by other packages.
Q: I found
a very tiny tick on my son's neck.
It is a nymph. Do I need to test this
tick given its very young age?
A: Yes.
Nymph ticks have been reported to
transmit disease although they naturally
have a lower infection rate since
they would not have been exposed to
as many infected animals as older/larger
ticks.
Q: I was
bitten by a tick. Do I need to start
taking antibiotics?
A: You
should schedule a doctor's visit and
let your family physician decide based
on the clinical signs and on the lab.
test results of the tick.
Q: I have
been bitten by a tick two days ago.
How soon should I consider running
a Western Blot?
A: It is recommended
that you wait three weeks before getting
your blood drawn and tested for IgM
and IgG. This decision is usually
made by your physician. |
Centers
for Disease Control (CDC) -
(970) 221-6400
