Frequently Asked Questions 

The test offers lab-level accuracy.

The test detects Borrelia burgdorferi, the pathogen that causes Lyme disease.

Each kit can test up to 5 ticks.

No, the tick does not need to be alive.

Results are available in under 15 minutes and must be read before 30 minutes.

Consult your medical or veterinary care provider to determine next steps.

Each sealed kit remains fully effective for up to 12 months.

The test is for anyone who finds a tick on themselves, a pet, or an animal. It tests the tick rather than testing the person or animal.

Use a sharp-tipped tweezer or specialized tick removal tool and grab the tick as close to the skin as possible. Apply gentle pressure as you pull straight up, and eventually the tick will release. Doing this too quickly can rip off the head and leave it retained under the skin.

Immediately clean the bite site with either soap and warm water or an alcohol wipe if available. You may want to mark the site with a pen to keep an eye on it. The tick is a valuable source of data. LymeAlert’s home tick testing kit allows you to test a tick at home and have results in 15 minutes. If you do not have a LymeAlert test kit immediately available, you can place the tick in a sealed plastic bag and place it into your freezer until you have a test kit available.

Lyme disease is an infection caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. It is spread to humans and animals through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks.

Yes, you can pick up ticks anywhere there is grass and trees.

Lyme disease is called the “Great Pretender” because it has over 300 associated symptoms and often looks like other diseases. The more common symptoms can include fever, chills, headaches, muscle aches, fatigue, and a bullseye rash. It is important to know that not everyone gets the same symptoms, and not everyone gets a bullseye rash.

Early detection is crucial when it comes to treating Lyme disease. The CDC recommends that people who live in high-risk areas who remove an embedded and engorged tick receive a prophylactic dose of antibiotics. In every case, the earlier Lyme disease is treated, the higher the treatment success rate is. The 72-hour window is the current recommendation by the CDC. This applies to embedded and engorged ticks removed from patients who are in high-risk Lyme disease areas.

More than one tick species can carry the pathogen that can cause Lyme disease. These are primarily the blacklegged tick and the western blacklegged tick.

Home tick testing has not existed before because it is highly challenging to develop, both technically and scientifically. Test strips that detect viruses such as COVID are less complex to produce. Because ticks may contain blood and multiple pathogens, teasing out the Lyme spirochete is difficult. It requires a significant amount of scientific innovation to achieve lab-level accuracy at home or on the go.

Crushing the tick to the right particle size to make the test strip work is also technically challenging. While the tick crusher looks simple, the engineering behind it is complex. The LymeAlert test kit also features the option to scan your test to receive definitive results and connect to telehealth if needed. Our goal is to save you time and money through accessible and innovative home testing.

Screenings for ticks do not require standard FDA approval.

The app will be free to download on both the Apple App Store for iOS devices and the Google Play Store for Android devices.

Yes, you can use the app to track tick bites, monitor localized hotspot maps, and access telehealth options. However, the digital test scanning feature requires a physical LymeAlert Test Kit.

If the physical color change on the test trip is faint or hard to see, you can use your smartphone camera via the app to provide definitive results. The integrated computer vision software analyzes the wavelength data to deliver a positive or negative verification.

Yes, the app allows you to export a secure PDF report containing your logged test result, the date of the bite, and any photos of the tick or rash area.

If the result is positive, a button will appear prompting you with options to access telehealth providers. You should select the provider who is located in your state. Please note that while we provide you with convenient options, you are responsible for selecting a provider and the link will direct you to their websites to complete the patient registration process. Telehealth is an outside service that is typically billed through your insurance company and is not provided directly by LymeAlert.