Results from a Universal Tick Test should not be used in place of medical consultation with your physician. However, information regarding the type of tick that bit you and the diseases it may carry can be useful in deciding treatment options. Multiple pathogens can be transmitted from a single tick bite and early detection and treatment are critical. Symptoms of tick-borne disease can be latent, non-specific, absent or complicated by co-infections. Currently, serological diagnostic tests for Lyme are unreliable leading to false negatives and misdiagnosis.

No kit required. Use supplies from home.

1. Secure each tick (dead or alive) in a clean, dry Ziploc bag. Keep the body intact. If the tick is alive then double-bag it for added security. 

• Do not wrap the tick in paper or tissue
• Avoid excess moisture-avoid pooling water or droplets in the bag
• Avoid mold
• Store in the fridge (if possible)
• Use bubble wrap for engorged ticks
• When in doubt, sending/storing the tick in a dry bag is preferred.

2. Order the Universal Tick Test online and receive your order number.

• You can print out our form (available at checkout) or write the number down
• Check your email inbox/spam/funk folder - an automatic email with your order information will be sent to you.

3. Label & Ship

• Write the specimen name and the order number on each specimen bag. On a separate piece of paper, include your name and contact information (found on printable form).
• Place the bag(s) inside a reinforced or padded envelope. Small boxes are acceptable.
• We accept USPS, UPS or FedEx  (10AM-5PM).  Track your envelope and do not require a signature for delivery!
• Send to:

TICKNOLOGY, LLC
425 John Deere Dr. STE 5
Fort Collins, CO 80524

Alcohol will not impact your test results. Alcohol actually dehydrates the specimen and is used as a preservative.  We do not recommend shipping a specimen suspended in alcohol due to the recommendation by most carriers to avoid flammable liquids. We recommend placing your specimen in a dry zip loc baggie and follow our shipping instructions. details here.

*For best results, do not delay sending your tick for testing. Damaged, dead or immature ticks may be time-sensitive.

However, we do not expect any issues if you can recover at least 50% of the tick’s body and properly store your tick in either a dry environment such as in a zip loc bag at room temperature or in the refrigerator or freezer. Excessive mold, heat and/or harsh chemicals such as bleach or hydrogen peroxide may affect results. Alcohol, oils and ointments typically do not affect testing. In all cases, the DNA recovered from your tick will need to pass our standards for accuracy.

Recovering a tick from tape can be difficult and time consuming for our staff. Thus, we advise that ticks not be sent to us bound in tape. However, if your tick is already bound in tape, place the specimen (as is) in a zip lock bag as directed in our tick submission guidelines.

*If you have multiple specimens, it is advised that you indicated how many ticks are included and how you expect them to be tested. By default, our staff is expecting 1 tick per bag.

Scenario 1: 2 ticks are combined for one set of results: place each specimen in a separate baggie so we recover them all. There is a maximum of 2 ticks per test and they must be approximately the same size. Order 1 tick test at checkout (Qty 1). If you have 3 ticks, place each in a separate baggie, order 2 tests (Qty. =2) and indicate which of the 2 ticks you would like to combine. *In general, this cost saving approach is not recommended. DNA activity/quality cannot be determined for individual ticks when combining ticks in a single reaction.

Scenario 2 (preferred): Ticks are tested separately for separate results (recommended): place each specimen in separate baggies and label each with a unique identifier for example "John" and "Jane" or "1" and "2". Order one tick test for each tick (Qty. >1).

*Adjust postage for the additional weight- USPS will hold your mail hostage until proper postage is paid at our local post office.

We need to match your online order to your specimen using at least 2 items of identification-matching your online payment.

• Name (preferred)
• Order # (preferred)
• email address
• phone number
• billing address

The Universal Tick Test detects multiple human pathogens found in a tick after a tick bite. Specific DNA sequence (or 'fingerprint') of each pathogen is targeted and amplified using DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR). When performed correctly, PCR-based detection provides superior sensitivity and accuracy.

Tick Test- Rare Pathogen Panels

We offer additional testing for rare and other uncharacterized tick-borne bacteria and viruses. Additional testing is offered as an extension to our Universal Tick Test service. We may recommend one or more of these tests if a rare, nonpathogenic or uncharacterized pathogen is suspected. Please contact us for a recommendation. For details visit: Patient Resources

Results will be emailed to you as an attachment.  A confirmation email will be sent to you when your tick arrives. A second email will include test results described in a full report including tick identification, tick image and a full explanation of both the results and expert interpretation.  With PRIORITY laboratory processing, results are guaranteed within 72 hr. of receipt of your specimen. STANDARD laboratory processing is guaranteed within 3-5 days after receipt of your specimen.

Yes. You can drop your specimen(s) off in our dropbox located outside of our building at your convenience. First, please place your order online, then, secure your tick and paperwork in a sealed envelope before dropping your specimen off.

Our tests are highly sensitive and accurate.

• We can detect multiple pathogens from a single tick.
• We use the same scientific methods used in peer-reviewed journal articles.
• Stringent internal controls built into the panel ensure the validity of the results.
• Your results are reviewed and signed by a Ph.D level scientist.
• All ticks are tested for Borrelia using multiple independent analyses to improve sensitivity and accuracy.

Rickettsia parkeri Rickettsiosis:

https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/tickbornediseases/rickettsiosis.html

Worldwide, ticks transmit over 20 known pathogens resulting in significant disease in humans, domestic animals, and wildlife.  In North America, Lyme disease has reached epidemic proportions and  is the most commonly reported vector-borne disease in the US with >300,000 cases each year. The deer tick (also called blacklegged tick or Ixodes scapularis) serves as the principal vector of the spirochete bacterium that causes Lyme disease and also transmits the causative agents of babesiosis, human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA), hard tick relapsing fever, Powassan virus and others. In addition to deer ticks, other related ticks such as Ixodes spinipalpis are also known carriers of Lyme.  The diagnosis of Lyme disease can be difficult due to the occurrence of non-specific “flu-like” symptoms including fatigue, nausea, fever, headaches, joint, and muscle pain. Early detection and treatment are critical. If left untreated, infection can cause chronic Lyme disease. Notably, symptoms can become more difficult to treat over time. Currently, many medical professionals rely on serology tests for diagnosis. Due to sensitivity limitations, these tests can be inaccurate and it may take several weeks for a positive result after a tick bite. After tick removal, tick testing for the presence of tick-borne pathogens provides useful information to support early treatment decisions.

Every tick will be identified and tested for Lyme as well as all the other human pathogens listed on our test panel (see ‘What pathogens are included if I order a Universal Tick Test?’).