Tick Testing Laboratory
Tick Testing Laboratory
Hours of operation:
Monday-Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Guidelines for Municipal and Regional Health Departments
Information on Submitting Ticks
The Tick Testing Program at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station was founded in 1990, following years of groundbreaking Lyme disease research. In addition to Borrelia burgdorferi, the cause of Lyme disease, the program was expanded in 2015 and 2024 to include testing for four new pathogens carried by ticks:
- Anaplasma phagocytophilum, the cause of Human Granulocytic Anaplasmosis
- Babesia microti, the cause of Babesiosis
- Borrelia miyamotoi, the cause of hard tick relapsing fever
- Powassan virus, the cause of Powassan virus disease
Substitute House Bill No. 5872, of April 10, 1992, states that the CAES “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.” However, since the COVID-19 pandemic, CAES has allowed Connecticut residents to submit ticks for identification or testing, either by mail or via in-person drop-off.
We still encourage CT residents to submit their ticks through their local health departments when possible. This collaboration helps health departments monitor tick activity in their towns. Additionally, consolidating the reporting process allows us to send notifications, saving both time and money.
The CAES Tick Testing Laboratory is located in the Jenkins-Waggoner Laboratories, Rooms 214 and 218, and is part of the Center for Vector Biology & Zoonotic Diseases.
Tick Information and Publications:
Summaries of Tick Testing (2019-Present)
Fact Sheets on Ticks, Tick Testing, and Lyme Disease
The Prevention of Tick Bite and Tick-Borne Disease: Tick Checks and the Use of Insect Repellent
Tick Management Handbook (Bulletin 1010) by Dr. Kirby C. Stafford III.
Questions about the CAES Tick Testing Program and policies may be directed to Dr. Goudarz Molaei:
Dr. Goudarz Molaei
Center for Vector Biology & Zoonotic Diseases
The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
123 Huntington St.
New Haven, CT 06511
Phone: (203)
974-8487
Fax: (203) 974-8502
E-mail: Goudarz.Molaei@ct.gov