TICK TESTING
There are two streams of research testing and private testing. Both types of testing require payment.* Research testing is less expensive but is also slower than the private testing.
RESEARCH TESTING
Research testing tests for the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi, the most common of the Lyme disease bacteria, and other species of Borrelia. The cost of research testing is $25 and takes 2 weeks. This payment covers approximately one-third of the cost of testing a tick.* Tick testing through the research stream is slower because we test ticks in batches to reduce cost. This testing is not recommended for ticks from humans because it is slower. Humans get ill from infected ticks more quickly than dogs or cats.
The tick donor must pay postage.
Please complete a submission form
(docx or pdf available) and mail a copy with your tick.
Wondering how to complete the submission form? We now have an example of a completed form towards the bottom of this page. Please review the types of information required for each field.
Ticks should be killed by freezing before submission. Ticks can be placed in a sealed baggie and mailed to:
Tick Testing, c/o Dr. Vett Lloyd
Dept. Biology, Mt. Allison University,
63B York St.
Sackville, NB
E4L 1G7.
It is essential that a phone number, email address or FAX number be provided if the results are to be returned to the tick donor. There is no funding to return results by mail.
This is not a clinical test and the information is for research purposes only. Your veterinarian or health care provider should be consulted to discuss any health implications of the results.
There is no charge for tick identification from either images or ticks sent in directly.
BEFORE SUBMITTING
Please remember that all turn-around times are based off when the tick is received in our laboratory and do not account for shipping or handling through Canada post, couriers, or the university. The volume of submissions through the research testing stream (Mount Allison University) is significant and makes replying to "where are my results?" questions difficult, especially in cases where that tick is recognized as having been received less than 2 weeks prior.
For ticks removed from humans, we strongly recommend that you submit your ticks through geneticks to ensure a faster turn around time.
If you are waiting for results and are concerned about your tick bite, or begin to notice signs or symptoms, please contact a certified medical professional.
Please remember that all turn-around times are based off when the tick is received in our laboratory and do not account for shipping or handling through Canada post, couriers, or the university. The volume of submissions through the research testing stream (Mount Allison University) is significant and makes replying to "where are my results?" questions difficult, especially in cases where that tick is recognized as having been received less than 2 weeks prior.
For ticks removed from humans, we strongly recommend that you submit your ticks through geneticks to ensure a faster turn around time.
If you are waiting for results and are concerned about your tick bite, or begin to notice signs or symptoms, please contact a certified medical professional.
PRIVATE TESTING
Faster testing is available through Geneticks. Geneticks is also able to test for an array of pathogens (up to 14), not just the Lyme disease bacteria. Three main packages are available through Geneticks, with the most basic (Lyme) package testing for the bacterial cause of Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi), other species of its genus (close relatives), and the bacterial cause of relapsing fever (Borrelia miyamotoi). Prices start at $50 (+tx). Regular testing through Geneticks guarantees results within 5 business days of sample-receipt, and even faster expedited options are available.
For more information, or to submit a tick through Geneticks, click here. Payment for their service is completed on their website.
Please note that ticks sent to Geneticks must be addressed to:
Geneticks Canada
P.O. Box 6472
Sackville, NB
E4L 1G6
*Why is free testing no longer available through the university?
The actual cost of testing a tick is approximately $70 CAD (this varies slightly depending on the number of ticks being tested at the same time). Up until January 2020, this cost has been covered by research grants and the generosity of private donors. These funds, however, are now fully exhausted. In order to continue to offer testing we must ask our tick donors to cover a portion of the cost of the testing we perform.
In some places free tick testing is still available through the provincial public health offices or other access points in the Canadian medical system.
RESEARCH TESTING - TICK SUBMISSION FORM (DOCX OR PDF)
| research_tick_testing_form_2020.docx |
| research_tick_testing_form_2020.pdf |
EXAMPLE OF COMPLETED SUBMISSION FORM
HOW TICK TESTING WORKS
Detecting the Lyme Disease Spirochete, Borrelia Burgdorferi, in Ticks Using Nested PCR | Protocol - JoVE | Peer Reviewed Scientific Video Journal
Summary - Nested PCR is a sensitive, specific, and straightforward technique that can be applied to tick DNA extracts to probe for Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease.The initial PCR experiment uses gene-specific primers to generate long amplicons, which then become templates for a subsequent reaction using internal primers.
See video here
All content copyright, images and data by Dr. Vett K. Lloyd and Mount Allison University
