WCSU Tick Lab In Danbury Seeks Properties For Tick Study

**News Release Submitted by Western Connecticut State University**

May 8, 2024

Researchers at the Western Connecticut State University Tickborne Disease Prevention Laboratory need the public’s help for Project ITCH (Is Tick Control Helping?), a residential research study entering its second year. WCSU’s tick experts hope to learn about how local residents deal with backyard risk for Lyme disease, and are also seeking homeowners who will allow researchers to visit for the purpose of collecting ticks. Interested residents are asked to complete a short online survey at ITCH - WCSU Tick Lab.

The university is a research partner in the federally designated New England Center of Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases, whose goals include finding the best ways residents can protect themselves, their families and pets from tick-borne diseases. This year, Project ITCH activities will include an evaluation of natural products like cedar oil for backyard tick control.

“We know that many homeowners in our region are interested in using natural products to control backyard ticks,” said Sophia Chiaia, a graduate student in WCSU’s Integrative Biological Diversity program who is involved with the study. “We hope that our research can help us make recommendations about the best way to use such products.”

The online survey asks participants about methods they use to try to prevent tick exposure and allows respondents to indicate their interest in being considered for this study. Researchers will visit selected properties to measure tick abundance. To complete the 10-minute survey and request a backyard tick collection, go to ITCH - WCSU Tick Lab.