EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. — Staff at East Stroudsburg University's Northeast Wildlife DNA Lab are busy testing ticks as the state heads into peak season. Nicole Chinnici is the lab director; she says more than 538 ticks will be tested in just one day.
"It does seem like it might be happening a little bit earlier this year because we had some mild winter temperatures so the ticks were pretty much active all winter long," said Lab Director Nicole Chinnici.
Officials with the tick lab tell Newswatch 16 that this is the time of year when hundreds of ticks are dropped off or sent in to be tested for free.
"One thing we like to note is that we like to identify what kind of tick, so first we identify that tick so then you know what type of tick you have been exposed to that can give you a lot of useful info about what type of diseases they are capable of transmitting," explained Chinnici.
The State Department of Health recently launched a new tick dashboard to track several forms of tick-borne illnesses across the state. Data on the dashboard shows a breakdown of county by county.
So far this year in Monroe County, 221 cases of Lyme Disease have been reported.
"The dashboard brings more awareness to ticks and tickborne illnesses which is really important in our state because we are a leader for the number of reported cases. The dashboard focuses on diagnosed cases," said Chinnici.
Chinnici says the Northeast Wildlife Tick Lab has its own dashboard to help people be more aware of tick activity where they live.
"So having our physicians aware and the Department of Health being able to put out more info for them to easily access it will eventually help with earlier diagnosis, earlier treatment with individuals.
To access the PA Department of Health's Tick Dashboard, click here.
To learn more about how to get a tick tested at East Stroudsburg University's Northeast Wildlife DNA Lab, click here.