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Updated: Feb 7, 2026

A Versatile Model of Hard Tick Infestation on Laboratory Rabbits
Published on: October 6, 2018
Laboratory Testing for Tick-Borne Infections in a Large Northeastern Academic Medical Center: An 11-Year Experience
Joseph Rudolf1, Jason Baron2,3, John Branda2,3
1Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis.
Objectives:
We evaluated changes in the testing menu, volume, and positivity rates for tick-borne illnesses in a New England medical center over an 11-year time frame.
Methods:
Testing data were obtained by a retrospective review utilizing searchable data from a laboratory information system archive.
Results:
Testing for tick-borne infections (TBI) increased 5.3-fold over an 11-year time period and the number of positive test results increased threefold. Annual rates for Lyme serology positivity varied from 14% to 29% and for western blot confirmation from 26% to 48%. Test volumes and the number of positive results increased for all TBI endemic to our region.
Conclusions:
Our results confirm national trends suggesting increasing rates of TBI and substantially increased testing. This may reflect a greater incidence of TBI in our region and/or increased awareness of these infections.
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