Lab Testing – Lyme Disease

Blood Tests For Lyme Disease

A blood test can be done to check for antibodies to the bacteria that cause Lyme Disease. The most commonly used is the ELISA for Lyme disease test. After the ELISA test is done, a secondary test called western blot test is performed to confirm ELISA results.

Sometimes, it’s vital that your health care provider is able to diagnose the early disseminated stage of Lyme Disease (Stage 1) without having doing any blood tests. This will usually happen if you have found the tick and/or know that you have been bitten recently. (a specialist should prescribe a treatment right away).

Antibody Testing For Lyme Disease

1) Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
2) Indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA).
3) Western blot test.

Other tests that may be done, when the infection has become more widespread:

* Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR);
* Borreliacidal Antibody Assay (BAT);
* T-Cell Activation Test;
* Lyme Urine Antigen Test (LUAT);
* Tissue Biopsy and Stainin;
* Dark Field Microscopy (DFM);
* Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)
* Electrocardiography
* Echocardiography
* Spinal Tap (Lumbar puncture to examine spinal fluid)
* MRI of the Brain (Magnetic resonance imaging)