Proactive Management
Testing the tick immediately informs treatment plans before symptoms become chronic or severe.
Early detection, informed treatment, and connection to healthcare matters
LymeAlert was founded by experienced medical professionals and scientists. They created LymeAlert in response to the question Erin often received from patients asking, “What should I do with the tick?”
Erin Dawicki CEO and Co-founder
LymeAlert began at MIT, where three Sloan Fellows MBA ’24 classmates developed the idea through the Institute’s healthcare entrepreneurship ecosystem.
The need for early exposure data
Current diagnostic tools often miss more than 60% of early-stage Lyme cases
Multiple studies have shown that earlier access to antibiotics yields higher successful treatment rates.
The CDC currently recommends prophylactic antibiotics within 72 hours of removing an embedded and engorged tick in high-risk areas. (Learn more here).
Ticks are expanding into regions where they have not been prevalent before.
LymeAlert is designed to complement your clinical expertise by empowering patients to prioritize follow-up care.
Don’t wait for symptoms. Take action early.
Preorder a test kitOUR APPROACH
The why behind LymeAlert for medical professionals:
To become the world’s leading platform for early detection, intelligence, and response to vector-borne disease—starting with Lyme and expanding wherever risk emerges.
High Accuracy
The test leverages immunoassay technology with lab-level accuracy.
Patient Clarity
Empower patients to take action and contact a healthcare professional instead of a “wait-and-see” approach.
Versatile Application
Validated for use on ticks removed from people, pets, horses, and livestock.
Combat Antibiotic Resistance
Know if the tick carries Borrelia burgdorferi, allowing for targeted antibiotic treatment rather than prophylactic treatment.
Antigen-Based Immunoassay
The test uses a patent-pending molecular assay that is highly sensitive to Borrelia burgdorferi, even in small quantities.
Engineered Sample Homogenization
The proprietary Tick Crusher™ exposes the pathogen from the tick’s midgut and salivary glands, allowing unmatched accuracy.
Enhanced Monitoring
Knowing the specific exposure allows you to observe clinical signs with higher sensitivity and time subsequent blood tests in the window that they’re most likely to be accurate.
Our approach
Built on science, designed for early detection.
LymeAlert is built using lab-based detection principles to detect the pathogen that can cause Lyme disease in ticks. By focusing on early-stage exposure and testing the tick, it provides answers in minutes instead of days, helping people make faster, more informed decisions.
A one-health solution to a shared threat.
Our trusted partner network:
- Creative Destruction Lab
- MIT Industrial Liaison Program
- LabCentral
- BioLabs
- MIT Venture Mentoring Service
- REI Co-op Path Ahead Ventures
- Harvard Climate Entrepreneurs Circle
Questions and answers
FAQ
What is the intended use?
The LymeAlert test is intended as an early decision-making guide for individuals who have found a tick on a person or animal.
What if only part of the tick is removed?
The test kit works on partial ticks as well as full ticks.
What is the regulatory status?
The test is not required to be FDA-approved as it tests the tick and is not a diagnostic tool.
Does the test screen for other vector-borne diseases?
At this time, the test only detects the presence of Borrelia Burgdorferi. Our team is working on being able to detect coinfections in the lab.
What are the limitations of this test?
While it can identify if a tick is a carrier, a positive result from the tick does not confirm transmission to the host, nor does a negative result rule out infection from a different, unobserved tick bite.
How can I order the test kit for my clinic?
Contact us for professional pricing to keep on hand for immediate client needs.
Does the tick need to be alive to perform the test?
The kit can test both live and dead ticks and is intended for use with ticks found on humans or animals.