If In Doubt, Get Your Tick Bite Checked Out!

When it comes to diagnosing a tick borne disease, it’s no secret that there have been some difficulties. Quite often people who have been bitten by an infected tick are not even aware that they could potentially be suffering from Lyme disease or another virus.  However, scientists have now developed a test that could help to identify symptoms that could lead to a diagnosis that relates to a tick borne illness, and not just Lyme disease.

A Single Test is Able to Diagnose 8 Tick-Borne Diseases

Scientists from the Center for Infection and Immunity (CII) at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health have announced a new test for tick-borne diseases (TBDs) with increased accuracy in Nature: Scientific Reports. The TBD Serochip is a single test that can differentiate between Lyme disease and 7 other TBDs.

As mentioned in the article, early detection can lead to a faster pathway to treatment, so this is a great breakthrough. Although, just as a reminder, the best cure is prevention, so it’s important to make sure you’ve got all your tick control up to date. Especially as the warmer weather approaches.

The above video is from 2017, however, many parts of the United States have the same situation going into 2018. Warmer climates have resulted in a boom in the tick population.

Current Trends Leading to an Increase in Tick-Borne Diseases

The following article highlights some of the top trends that are contributing to this increase, including environmental and other natural factors as well as shifts in human behavior and advances in clinical diagnosis. Being aware of these trends can help you and your loved ones better prepare for any increased risk of exposure to ticks and tick-borne diseases today and in the future.

If you are concerned that you may have been bitten by an infected tick or are concerned about symptoms that you may think relate to a tick borne disease, then contact a medical professional immediately.