PCR/DNA Testing Services

Cinnaminson, New Jersey, May 7, 2025

As recently as 2023, over 89,000 cases of Lyme disease were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) by state health departments and the District of Columbia. However, the agency reports there is no way of knowing exactly how many people get Lyme disease and estimates around 476,000 Americans are diagnosed and treated for the disease each year.

In North America, the disease is caused primarily by a bacterium known as Borrelia burgdorferi. It is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected ticks, which can attach to any part of the human body. In the northeastern, mid-Atlantic, and north-central United States, it is spread primarily by the blacklegged tick. In Pacific Coast states, it is mainly spread by the western blacklegged tick.

To educate the public about Lyme disease and ways to mitigate exposure risks, the month of May is recognized as National Lyme Disease Awareness Month. May also happens to be the beginning of tick season in many areas.

“Fortunately, most cases of Lyme disease can be treated successfully with antibiotics, but if left untreated, the infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system,” said Jason Dobranic, Ph.D., Vice President of Microbiology and Life Sciences at EMSL Analytical, Inc. “Each year, EMSL Analytical proudly supports the efforts of National Lyme Disease Awareness Month. We continue to offer a Lyme Disease Tick Test Kit to evaluate actual ticks for Borrelia burgdorferi using exceptionally sensitive PCR-based DNA analysis.”

Several years ago, EMSL sponsored an educational video about National Lyme Disease Awareness Month that can still be seen at: https://youtu.be/Hr3UOTRwaNM 

To learn more about testing ticks for Borrelia burgdorferi, please visit www.EMSL.com, call (800) 220-3675, or email info@EMSL.com. For access to Lyme Disease Tick Test Kits, visit www.EMSLTestKits.com.