2224. Package # 138 (Borrelia burgdorferi, IgG,IgM antibodies, BlotAnalisis)

Package No. 138 (Borrelia burgdorferi, IgG and IgM antibodies, Blot Analysis) is a combined laboratory test that confirms the diagnosis of Lyme disease (borreliosis) and ensures high diagnostic accuracy.

Blot analysis for borreliosis is performed after a positive or inconclusive result from the initial borreliosis test (enzyme immunoassay for Borrelia burgdorferi IgM and IgG).

Lyme disease (tick-borne borreliosis) is an infectious disease transmitted by the bite of a tick infected with Borrelia bacteria. The risk of infection increases proportionally to the time the tick remains on the body: the longer it feeds on blood, the higher the risk of infection. Tick activity peaks in spring and summer, but they can be encountered at any warm time of year while walking in forests, parks, or even on your own property.

The main insidiousness of the disease is that a tick bite often goes unnoticed. The first symptoms may appear several days or weeks after infection. In the early stages, borreliosis is almost identical to a common cold: fever, chills, severe weakness, headache, and muscle and joint aches. A characteristic symptom of Lyme disease is a red spot that expands around the bite site (erythema migrans), but not everyone develops this.

Without timely diagnosis, the infection can progress and spread throughout the body, leading to complications that can affect the joints (Lyme arthritis), heart (Lyme carditis), nervous system (neuroborreliosis), and skin (acrodermatitis). This is why timely testing for Lyme disease is essential.

When Borrelia enters the body through a tick bite, the immune system begins producing protective antibodies. IgM antibodies are the first to appear, signaling the early stages of infection. After 4-6 weeks, IgG antibodies develop, reflecting the developed immune response to the Borrelia pathogen. IgG levels peak after 1.5-3 months and can persist for years even after successful treatment of Lyme disease.

A comprehensive test for Lyme disease detects IgM and IgG antibodies to specific proteins of B. burgdorferi, B. afzelii, and B. garinii. The presence of these antibodies may indicate infection of the body with the causative agent of borreliosis.

A Lyme disease test is prescribed by a doctor. Interpretation of the results requires consultation with a doctor, taking into account the clinical picture.

Testing is required for:

• those who have received a positive or inconclusive result on a screening ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) for Borrelia and need a confirmation of the diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis;
• in cases of double negative testing for IgM and/or IgG antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi with persistent clinical symptoms for 12 weeks;
• in the presence of specific manifestations of late-stage Lyme disease that appear several weeks or months after a tick bite: joint pain (arthritis), skin lesions (acrodermatitis), neurological disorders (numbness, weakness in the limbs, facial paralysis), or heart problems (carditis).

• Venous blood

In order to exclude factors that may affect the test results, we recommend to follow the preparation rules: