Your health care provider will first review your symptoms. For many people, the ELISA test remains positive, even after they have been treated for Lyme disease and no longer have symptoms. The CDC recommends that doctors first order an ELISA to screen for Lyme disease and then confirm Lyme disease with a Western blot. Both of these blood tests measure the presence of antibodies that form in your body if you are infected with . Most certainly, you should get tested if you suspect that a tick has bitten you. A bulls-eye rash that grows from the bite site. A C 6 antibody level > 30 U/mL is considered clinically significant and consistent with a clinical Lyme disease infection. Recent infections are much easier to detect and an IgM and IgG blood test will often be ordered as complimentary information . Sometimes it can take your body time to start producing these antibodies in reaction to the bacteria. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Antibodies against Lyme disease bacteria usually take a few weeks to develop, so tests performed before this time may be negative even if the person is infected. Updated CDC Recommendation for Serologic Diagnosis of Lyme Disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), Laboratory tests that are not recommended, HHS federal research updates on Lyme disease diagnostics, Surveillance explained and available data, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, The likelihood that the patient has been exposed to infected blacklegged ticks, The possibility that other illnesses may cause similar symptoms, Results of laboratory tests, when indicated. The traditional blood tests (PCR, ELISA, Western Blot, joint fluid analysis) for diagnosing Lyme disease have been replaced by two new tests called the C6 test and Quantitative C6 test (QC6). This does not mean that the test is bad, only that it needs to be used correctly. The blood test for Lyme disease only takes five minutes. Beyond blood testing, it is possible to analyze fluid from the central nervous system for signs of the Borrelia bacteria. If any of these tests come back as positive, then other samples will be used to track the stage of the disease to determine if it has reached the chronic infection stage. The test is used to help diagnose Lyme disease. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. The problem with Lyme disease is that the bacteria can create a hard shell around themselves when inactive so that the blood tests are unable to detect them. Your doctor will consider whether your symptoms and risk factors suggest Lyme disease when deciding whether you need a Lyme test. It is possible for someone who was infected with Lyme disease to test negative because: If you are pregnant and suspect you have contracted Lyme disease, contact your physician immediately. Saving Lives, Protecting People. Heres a quick breakdown: Despite their broad application, there are a couple of things to keep in mind when it comes to antibody tests like ELISA: For blood tests, the primary complications are bruising and discomfort at the site of needle entry. No content on this site should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician. https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/infectious-diseases/spirochetes/lyme-disease, https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/diagnosistesting/labtest/twostep/index.html, https://www.aafp.org/afp/2005/0715/p297.html, https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/resources/brochure/lymediseasebrochure.pdf, https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/lyme-disease/, https://www.lymedisease.org/lyme-disease-symptom-checklist/, https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003332.htm, https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/tests/lyme-disease-blood-test, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC153420/, https://www.ccjm.org/sites/default/files/additional-assets/PDFs/ReviewArticleExample.pdf, http://www.lymedisease.org.au/about-lyme-disease/interpreting-lyme-disease-blood-tests/, https://www.lymedisease.org/lyme-basics/lyme-disease/diagnosis/, https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/resources/toolkit/factsheets/Hooks_Ticks-and-Lyme-Disease-508.pdf. The chances are great that you will see a full recovery. If either or both of your tests come back negative, your doctor may still diagnose Lyme disease, particularly if you recently developed Lyme-like symptoms, regardless of your test results. Lyme Disease - What to Ask Your Doctor. For a comprehensive explanation of the western blot test, download Understanding Western Blot Lyme disease test. There is no clear evidence that treatment is beneficial in patients with Lyme disease who exhibit only nonspecific symptoms. 4. Having a tick attached to your body isn't just getting a little too close to nature. (If you were previously diagnosed with Lyme disease and could have been reinfected, a positive Lyme test may not be helpful because it is difficult to distinguish between current and previous infections using currently available tests.). IgM antibodies are usually made by your body when the infection is new and recent, while IgG antibodies are usually made some weeks later. Some people who receive antibiotics early in disease may not have a fully developed antibody response or may only develop an antibody response at levels too low to be detected by the test. This article has been viewed 14,293 times. Another part of the reason is because LLMDs are sometimes disciplined for reactions people have to long-term antibiotic use. The positive predictive value of Lyme Elisa for the diagnosis of Lyme disease in children, Laboratory Services Handbook: B. Burgdorferi (Lyme), Bullseye rash (a red ring with a clear center). Optimal Result: 0 - 0.9 index. The CDC recommends two-step testing, sometimes referred to as a two-tiered test, for Lyme disease. Depending on your condition, you'll be given an initial screening. Recent infections are much easier to detect and an IgM and IgG blood test will often be ordered as complimentary information gathering tools. Some people with Lyme disease never develop a rash, so the absence of a rash does not mean that you don't have Lyme disease. During the first few weeks of infection, such as when a patient has an erythema migrans rash, the test is expected to be negative. Tests are less accurate for a short period of time after you first become infected. Skip to main content (217) 258-2525. Your blood sample will be sent to a laboratory and the blood will be introduced to a testing solution. An indeterminate result may also require further testing, especially if you are symptomatic. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information on getting the proper diagnosis and treatment for your tick-borne disease, read the IGeneX blogs The Importance of Getting the Right Diagnosis and How to Find Doctors Who Can Help with Your Tick-Borne Disease. If you think you may have Lyme disease, but your doctor hasnt considered it or has ruled it out before testing you for it, heres how you can start a conversation: Give your doctor a list of Lyme disease symptoms and risk factors , and ask them if, given your own symptoms and risk factors, Lyme disease could be a possible cause and whether you should be tested. 3. Because there are three tests that are typically conducted for the Lyme disease blood test, then results can vary based on the combination of test results received. Talk to your doctor about co-infections, particularly if you have widespread or diverse symptoms. Afterward, there may be some throbbing or a slight bruise. Waddell L. A., et al. But, if your doctor does not diagnose you with Lyme disease, you can ask to be re-tested in a few weeks. If a person displays characteristic symptoms (especially the bullseye rash), lives in an area where there are bacteria-spreading black-legged ticks and theres a risk of exposure, testing will be called for. This means none or few antibodies to Lyme disease were seen in your blood . By that time, Lyme disease is harder to treat, and long-term complications are more likely, so an early, accurate diagnosis is very important. 3 Check the number and location of bands in your test pattern. One of the challenges of Lyme disease, a bacterial infection transmitted by tick bite, is ensuring proper diagnosis. Many health insurance plans will not cover these consultations or tests, however, so proceed with caution. These include: Given the range of tests that can potentially be used to detect Lyme disease, its important to understand their differences, and what each can and cant do. New Sealed EverlyWell Lyme Disease Test Kit CLIA Certified Exp 2026 At Home . Cookies used to track the effectiveness of CDC public health campaigns through clickthrough data. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 61. Complete Blood Count (CBC with Differential) This test measures cellular components of blood: White Blood Cell count (WBC): Low WBC (< 4,000) can indicate chronic infection with a virus or low-virulence bacteria such as mycoplasma, but it can also occur in healthy people. Does anyone know of a website where I could post this information online and have a doctor review to at least help me in the right direction as what I might be suffering from if its not Lymes (I see these people online ask doctors questions and a doctor responds but not sure I feel safe to give my credit card info to pay for this service). By comparison, MRI demonstrated brain abnormalities in only 14% of study patients. It can even affect your memory. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Below normal range = albumin/globulin ratio, AST (SGOT), bilirubin, calcium, anion gap, potassium and osmolality calculated. . 2. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. Your knees and other joints may swell and hurt. UpToDate, April 2022. Home DNA Test Kits, Total Results Shampoos, Total Results Conditioners, A needle is inserted into the vein, and the blood is collected in an air-tight vial or a syringe. Youll undergo physical evaluation, focusing on blood clotting ability. X John T, Taege A. Blacklegged ticks carry these bacteria. Another straightforward example would be a person who has spent time outdoors in an area where Lyme disease is common. LDL Direct is 221. If you aren't symptomatic, your doctor may still do blood testing if you live in a high-risk area. One is called a Western blot, which looks at how your antibodies react to specific parts of the Lyme disease bacteria. All results negative. Because the first test may not pick up antibodies soon after possible exposure to Lyme disease, that means a person with Lyme may never get the second test. There are two options for the second test. Lyme disease blood test is used to determine if you have contracted Borrelia burgdorferi (B. burgdorferi), the bacterium that causes Lyme disease. Get a list of patient testing labs. Although testing probably is beneficial in this type of patient, this has not been proven. You may have heard that the blood test for Lyme disease is correctly positive only 65% of the time or less. If the result is negative, you likely don't have Lyme disease. of Health and Human Services Antibodies can take several weeks to develop, so patients may test negative if infected only recently. New tests may be developed as alternatives to one or both steps of the two-step process. Different laboratories use different methods and criteria for interpreting the test, so you can have a positive test result from one lab and a negative test result from another. When you're dealing with chronic Lyme, it's harder to diagnose, and most non-LLMDs are not trained in finding it. There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. IGeneX researchers tested 43 samples all positive on IGeneX Lyme ImmunoBlot tests using the more limited Western blots prepared from the following species of Borrelia: When only a B. burgdorferi B31 Western Blot was performed, only 14 of the 43 Lyme ImmunoBlot-positive samples were Western-Blot-positive. The CDC testing guidelines recommend a second test only if the first test is positive or unclear. The test is used to help diagnose Lyme disease. The flu-like symptoms of Lyme disease usually start days or weeks after you've been bitten. If this test is positive, then a second test called a Lyme Western Blot should be run to confirm the results of the first test. University of Iowa Department of Pathology. Youve spent time in heavily wooded areas native to ticks. . If a test of cerebrospinal fluid is needed, an outpatient procedure called a lumbar puncture can be done in a hospital. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria cause Lyme disease. However, negative ELISA results are strong indicators that you dont have Lyme disease, as the test is very sensitive. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This test measures the level of Borrelia antibodies in your blood. Although the disease is treatable, it is nearly impossible to tackle it effectively if it is not diagnosed accurately and early enough. Following a blood draw, you may have some residual pain and need to ensure the injection site is not infected. These tests cannot diagnose Lyme disease, but they can give your doctor more information to help them confirm or rule out a diagnosis. Most Lyme disease tests are designed to detect antibodies made by the body in response to infection. The chart below will help you understand how to interpret the western blot test. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Because these ticks are so small, most people dont realize when theyre bitten. Heres what typically happens: Those who have blood samples taken are able to go home as soon as theyre ready afterward. While there are other species of Borrelia that cause Lyme disease, B. burgdorferi is the most common cause in the United States. Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. Research source Most Lyme disease tests are designed to detect antibodies made by the body in response to infection. The Lyme Western Blot looks at a series of specific . Less common or less frequent diseases include typhus, Q-fever, relapsing fever, viral encephalitis, hemorrhagic fever, and babesiosis. It is spread by ticks and creates a distinctive bulls-eye rash at the infection site, but up to half of people dont experience this symptom. The CDC has maps of reported cases in the United States available at. For patients and doctors, being aware of the many factors that can influence Lyme disease lab tests can better inform your perspective and reliance on the results. Will not cover these consultations or tests, however, negative ELISA results are strong indicators that you will a! 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