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Lab will provide free tick testing to all Pennsylvania residents

| 23 Oct 2018 | 04:52
    Lab gets a grant: from left are ESU President, Marcia G. Welsh, Ph.D.; Director, ESU Northeast Wildlife DNA Laboratory, Nicole Chinnici; State Representative Rosemary M. Brown (189th Legislative District) (Photo provided)
    Lab gets a grant: from left are ESU President, Marcia G. Welsh, Ph.D.; Director, ESU Northeast Wildlife DNA Laboratory, Nicole Chinnici; State Representative Rosemary M. Brown (189th Legislative District) (Photo provided)
    Meaghan Bird, infectious disease specialist. at the Northeast Wildlife DNA Lab at East Stroudsburg University (esu.edu)
    Meaghan Bird, infectious disease specialist. at the Northeast Wildlife DNA Lab at East Stroudsburg University (esu.edu)

EAST STROUDSBURG — PA Representative Rosemary Brown (R-189) on Tuesday presented a check for $500,000 to representatives of East Stroudsburg University and its Northeast Wildlife DNA Laboratory for the development of The Pennsylvania Tick Research Lab.
The lab will provide free tick testing to all Pennsylvania residents. Tests include Lyme disease and three additional tests based on the species of tick submitted. Results of the tests will be provided to residents and will include important information about risk and exposure to tick-borne diseases. Funding will also support the development of a data analytic website that will provide infection rates across the Commonwealth, areas with high tick density, and demographics associated with the tick bite.
This data will establish a baseline for the prevalence of ticks and tick-borne diseases in Pennsylvania. Since 2011, the commonwealth has been the nation’s leader in annual confirmed cases of Lyme disease.
The lab is located on the third floor of the ESU Innovation Center.
For more information call 570-422-7892.
Related storiesSee these related stories at pikecountycourier.com:
"Sufferers describe the terrifying fog of tick-borne illness"
"State and medical community are behind the times on tick-borne disease, local experts say"
"Lyme is 'not the only game in town'"
"Tick illness explodes in PA"
"First-ever Lyme tick test is developed in the Poconos"
"Invasive Asian ‘Longhorn’ tick confirmed in Pennsylvania"