Lyme Disease Testing
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection caused by the Borrelia bacteria spread by the bite of an infected tick.
Symptoms may include a bullseye rash, a fever, a headache, and muscle aches.
If left untreated, more serious symptoms may develop including complications affecting the joints, heart, and nervous system.
Treatment includes antibiotics.
Most people make a full recovery, while some remain with lingering symptoms.
The test needed to check for lyme disease is the ELISA test for lyme disease. This test checks for the presence of total antibodies (IgM and IgG) produced by your immune system in response to Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium responsible for Lyme disease.
IgM antibodies usually appear first, a few weeks after exposure to an infected tick. IgG antibodies take longer to develop but remain in the blood for much longer.
It is important to note that the timing of this test matters. Similar to HIV, this test can't be done too early after the encounter with a tick because it has a high likelihood of giving a false negative. This is because it takes the human body 4-6 weeks after a tick bite to build enough antibodies to show up on the test. Therefore, it should be done ideally about 1-2 month after a tick bite or believed exposure to an infected tick to see if Lyme disease is present.
This test is the ELISA test for Lyme disease. If this test is positive or unequivocal (indeterminate), then the next test done will be the Western blot test for confirmation. The western blot test from Bioreference is named Lyme Disease Antibody, Line Blot (IgG/IgM); the test code is 4033-7.
Alternatively, if only IgG antibodies need to be checked for the Western blot test, the test is named Lyme Blot, IgG W/Bands and its test code is 6272-9. If only IgM antibodies need to be checked, the test is named Lyme Blot, IgM W/Bands and its test code is 6273-7.
During the visit, all results will then be discussed and guidance will be given to you by the provider.
Appointment Duration: 20 minutes
Price: $50
Laboratory: Bioreference Labs
Test Name: Lyme Disease Antibody Total, Serum
Test Code: 2382-0