At-home test for infected ticks could improve Lyme Disease diagnosis

A new at-home test for infected ticks could revolutionize the diagnosis of Lyme disease, according to research. Over 31 million Americans experience a tick bite each year, many of which can transmit dangerous diseases like Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and alpha-gal syndrome. Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne illness, with an estimated 476,000 patients treated annually, primarily in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Upper Midwest.

Blacklegged ticks are responsible for transmitting Lyme disease, along with other tick-borne illnesses.

Lyme disease is easiest to treat in its early stages, making swift tick identification crucial for timely treatment. Symptoms include a bull's-eye rash, fever, chills, headache, fatigue, muscle and joint aches, swollen lymph nodes, and neck stiffness. A 10- to 14-day course of antibiotics is the most common treatment, but post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome can also occur, characterized by persistent fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, and cognitive difficulties.

Dawicki, a pediatric physician associate in Boston, has seen a steady increase in children presenting with Lyme arthritis, a condition that develops after an untreated tick bite. She advocates for early diagnosis and treatment, as early treatment is critical for recovery. However, she's concerned about the growing antibiotic resistance crisis, with doctors often resorting to blanket prescribing of antibiotics due to the high risk of Lyme disease.

Inspired by a health care entrepreneurship course, Dawicki developed an idea for an at-home tick test, which would allow patients to test ticks at home and know immediately if they're infected with Lyme disease. This would save patients from making unnecessary office visits, especially when the tick may not even carry the disease.

The U.S. National Tick Collection is the largest continuously curated collection of ticks in the world, with the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, being the most widespread and responsible for most infections in the U.S.