Table of Contents
Diagnosis
Lyme disease is usually diagnosed based on symptoms and evidence of possible exposure to ticks. A diagnosis of Lyme disease is straightforward if the patient meets the following criteria:
- Lives in an area of tick-infestation
- Has the tell-tale bulls-eye rash (erythema migrans)
- Has other symptoms (headache, joint aches, malaise, flu-like symptoms)
If the patient meets these criteria, treatment is often started without confirming the diagnosis with laboratory tests.
Blood Tests for Antibodies
Blood tests for detecting antibodies to B. burgdorferi may give false results during the early stages of the disease. They are more accurate if used at least a month after the initial infection. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends a two-step process for Lyme disease blood tests:
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Review Date: 01/13/2011
Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine,
Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital.
Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M.,
Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
