Ticks needed for research; university asking for help

May 15—In an attempt to advance public health research, a university is asking residents of Kentucky for donations of ticks.

Those small, wingless, blood-sucking arachnids that burrow into a host are wanted for The Kentucky Tick Surveillance Project housed in the University of Kentucky.

Subba Reddy Palli, Department Chair and state entomologist, said the project is all about making life more "careful" for individuals in the state.

"We are trying to find out the distribution of ticks in Kentucky, what kind are present and what pathogens they carry that cause diseases in humans and animals. We look at them and identify what they are, and we test for some of the pathogens that cause Lyme disease and Ehrlichiosis," he said.

Participants are urged to follow strict steps to ensure their sample is counted and not tossed out. Before preparing the sample, the university said to fill out a submission form.

The following supplies are needed: 91% isopropyl alcohol, one hard plastic container, pill bottles with information removed or small plastic travel jars, tweezers, one plain cotton ball, two Ziploc bags and a padded envelope, according to the website.

All submissions that are accepted and examined are published on the website, free for the public to view, Palli said

Learn more about how you can help with the tick research here.