Concord Monitor - Find a tick on yourself? This NH nonprofit wants to see it.
Tick Research in New Hampshire
BeBop Labs, a New Hampshire nonprofit, is conducting research on ticks and tick-borne illnesses. They request that residents mail in ticks found on themselves or pets, along with information on where and when the tick was found.
Findings
Analysis of nearly 4,000 ticks from 2018 to 2021 revealed:
- Black-legged ticks, primary carriers of Lyme disease, are appearing earlier due to warmer winters.
- Approximately one-third of black-legged ticks carried Lyme disease bacteria.
- A significant percentage carried bacteria for babesia and anaplasmosis.
- Of 1,041 dog ticks tested, only one carried Lyme bacteria.
The situation has worsened, with increased reported cases of babesia and anaplasmosis, and concerns about new tick species arriving in New England, including those carrying spotted fever and alpha-gal.
Submitting Ticks
Ticks should be placed in a ziplock bag (secured with tape), mailed to BeBop Labs, PO Box 183, Salisbury, NH 03268, along with details such as date, location, activity, and whether the tick was found on a human or pet. BeBop Labs tests black-legged ticks for Lyme disease free of charge, but results may not be timely.
Identifying the two most common species of tick in New Hampshire. BeBop Labs—Courtesy
If you find a tick on yourself – and this is prime tick season for New Hampshire, unfortunately – a Plymouth nonprofit wants to see it.Â
Since 2017, BeBop Labs has asked people in New Hampshire who discover a tick to mail it in, along with a little information about where and how it was found. The organization tests them for species and determines whether a given tick carries certain diseases, creating a database of details about New Hampshire’s least favorite arachnid.
Their peer-reviewed analysis of mailed-in ticks from 2018 to 2021, as well as analysis of almost 4,000 ticks, found that the black-legged tick, the main carrier of Lyme disease, has shown up earlier as winters warmed. About one-third of those ticks carried the bacteria causing Lyme disease, and about one-twentieth carried bacteria for two other dangerous diseases – babesia and anaplasmosis.
There’s one bright spot, at least: of the 1,041 dog ticks the group tested, only one carried the Lyme bacteria. Dog ticks are much larger and easier to find than black-legged ticks.Â
Since then, the situation has worsened in New Hampshire and much of the Northeast, with an increase in reported cases from babesia and anaplasmosis as well as the spread of more tick-borne diseases, including Powassan virus. There are also concerns about the arrival of more tick species in New England, including a rabbit tick that carries spotted fever and the Lone Star tick, which can spread alpha-gal, a disease that makes people allergic to red meat.
BeBop Labs says that ticks can be placed in a ziplock bag – sticking it to a piece of tape is often helpful – and mailed to Bebop Labs, PO Box 183, Salisbury, NH 03268. “Include date, location, activity, whether tick was found on human or pet, and whether tick was biting or crawling,” the organization noted.Â
BeBop Labs will test black-legged ticks for Lyme disease at no charge, but there is “no guarantee on timing,” so it shouldn’t be used to determine whether a person has been infected after being bitten. A number of online sites will do quick turn-around testing for a fee.Â
For more information, check https://www.beboplabs.org.
David Brooks can be reached at dbrooks@cmonitor.com
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