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University of Maine Cooperative Extension expands tick testing to include Powassan, Heartland

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The University of Maine Cooperative Extension’s Tick Lab started testing tick samples for the Powassan and Heartland viruses last week.

The lab already tests ticks for Lyme, anaplasmosis, babesiosis and other bacterial or protozoal pathogens leading to diseases that are emerging in Maine.

The Maine Center for Disease Control has recorded 14 cases of Powassan and three deaths since 2013. Griffin Dill, coordinator for the tick lab, says tick-borne diseases are on the rise in Maine and that prompted the expanded testing.

"Powassan virus is a tick-borne illness spread by the deer tick or blacklegged tick. It's a serious illness that can sometimes be fatal," he says. "We also decided to include the Heartland virus — that virus has been found in wildlife here in Maine, so we thought it was important to include that in testing panel moving forward as well."

Dill says the Heartland virus is carried by the lone star tick, which is not widespread in Maine. But he says a study last year showed some white tail deer serum contained the virus. He says adding the two new viruses will help them determine the range for ticks carrying Powassan virus and wildlife exposed to Heartland virus here in Maine.

"In addition to providing risk information to the client, we also use that information to track the geographic distribution of ticks and the pathogens they carry. And that's something we want to do with Powassan," he says. "See if there are clusters in some areas or if it's a widespread pathogen throughout the state."

Dill says most of the ticks they test are picked up in residents' own yards.

"Two-thirds of the ticks submitted to us are picked up on their own property, from yardwork or playing outdoors, as opposed to outdoor activities like hiking or camping," he says. "We associate tick encounters with those intense outdoor activities, when it's really those more mundane tasks around the house that present a risk."

Dill says areas in yards abutting forest are likely spots to pick up ticks. Simple precautions such as tucking socks into pants, using insect repellant and doing body and pet checks after being outdoors are ways to detect and remove ticks.

Residents can send ticks to be tested using an online form at ticks.umaine.edu and get results back in three business days. The cost for a test is $20.

Dill says anyone concerned about the risk of disease should contact their doctor and not wait for test results.