Guidelines for Municipal and Regional Health Departments

Substitute House Bill No. 5872, of April 10, 1992, states that the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station “shall not conduct any testing of ticks for Lyme disease except at the request of a state or municipal health official or for scientific research purposes.”

It is for this reason that we strive to involve health departments in the tick-testing process. Besides making health departments more aware of tick activity in their towns, it is more efficient and less expensive for us to send results to several municipal health departments rather than to many individuals.

Please include, whenever possible, the following information with each tick: name of patient and/or health department accession number, age and sex of the person bitten, date on which the tick was found, part of the body where the tick was found, and the town in which the tick was acquired. Tick Submission Form

During non-peak months, arrangements can be made to visit the Tick Testing Laboratory and learn tick identification and how to estimate engorgement. Call the tick lab at 203-974-8520 to make arrangements.

Information on Submitting Ticks