Deer ticks are now active in the mid-Atlantic states. They are known as hosts for several pathogens, including: Bottelia (causes Lyme disease) and Babesia (causes Babesiosis).
Ticks must be attached and feeding to transmit a disease. If the tick can be removed and captured, then it can be mailed to a tick testing lab. The pathogen is identified by its DNA. Testing the tick can be completed in 2-3 business days with results e-mailed immediately. This is much faster than the disease can be identified in the victim of the tick bite.
I live in Delaware and have sent ticks for testing to tick testing labs in Amherst, Massachusetts and East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. Both of these labs are associated with universities. Since I live close, I sent the ticks in a letter by regular USPS. The labs received the ticks within 2-3 days and reported results within a week. One tick tested positive for the Bottelia bacteria, The other tick tested negative for all pathogens. Testing costs $50-$60.
Health clinics are not prescribing antibiotics as freely as they once did. If the tick is shown to be infected, it may be easier to get the prophylactic dose of antibiotic to ward off the full-fledged disease.
= new reply since forum marked as read