


We’re also starting to see West Nile Virus in birds at this time of year and West Nile causes balance issues. “One of the great challenges with the songbird sickness is that the symptoms are similar to other diseases we see at this time of year, for example, the conjunctivitis with Finch Eye Disease. “The great mystery is how a disease like this happens, we don’t know exactly what causes it,” says Jenny Dickson, Director of the Wildlife Division at DEEP.
Uconn pathbiology lab tick testing driver#
CVMDL has been a driver of disease investigation and discovery with its collaborative partners by offering high-quality, accurate, and fast diagnostics and pathology. There is much that is unknown about this songbird disease and that is why CVMDL is collaborating with DEEP to provide diagnostic testing services and pathology. Many states have confirmed cases of this new songbird disease and the sickness is progressively moving toward New England. Birds infected with the new sickness have crusty eyes or discharge and neurological issues including loss of balance, seizures, and head shaking. Robins, finches, cardinals, sparrows, ravens, orioles, and chickadees are a few of the many songbird species that we see and hear. Songbirds are an attractive feature of our Connecticut landscape for many residents. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is tracking and managing a new disease affecting songbirds in collaboration with the Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (CVMDL) in the Department of Pathobiology and Veterinary Science at UConn’s College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources. įor more articles out of New England, click here.Songbirds in the eastern part of the United States are getting sick with crusty eyes and neurological issues, but no one knows why. You can also contact the Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory at 86 or visit the tick testing page on our website. įor more information, read the article from UConn Magazine that includes tips to prevent tick bites, or watch the UConn Science in Seconds video. The submission form, pricing and the “Do’s and don’ts of tick testing” can be found on our website at.
Uconn pathbiology lab tick testing zip#
Please send ticks together with a small square of moist paper towel, in sealed zip lock bags. Results are normally reported within three to five business days of receiving the sample, but next day testing is available for an additional fee. Ticks may then be tested for the DNA of pathogens that are common to that tick species. Ticks received at CVMDL are first examined under a microscope by trained technicians to determine the species of tick, life stage, and degree of blood engorgement, all of which are factors that may impact transmission of pathogens to the person or animal. If you find a tick on yourself, your child, or your pet, remove it immediately. The data can be used in setting priority areas for prevention and vaccine development.

Our researchers are also using the results from tick testing to track current and emerging disease producing agents carried by ticks, and to monitor for the spread of ticks that may have been recently introduced to our area, for example the long-horned tick. It helps the person or veterinarian who submitted the tick understand the potential exposure of the subject that the tick was found on. Tick testing at CVMDL serves multiple purposes. “Our lab offers tick identification services, in addition to many other services,” says Dr. A single tick can transmit more than one infectious agent. While the Deer tick is predominantly known for transmitting the agent that causes Lyme disease (the corkscrew-shaped bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi), it can also carry other disease-causing agents. Although there are many different species of ticks, people generally think of one tick species in particular when worrying about illness: the deer tick ( Ixodes scapularis). Ticks are disease-carrying arachnids that reside in moist areas, such as long grass and the leaf litter, and will latch onto humans and animals alike. UConn’s Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (CVMDL), part of the Department of Pathobiology & Veterinary Science in the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources, is on the frontline of tick testing to inform submitters of the risks associated with that tick. Pet owners, livestock owners, and outdoor enthusiasts statewide need to maintain vigilance against ticks because as the fall season approaches will see an increase in their activity.
