Pitfalls in diagnosis of Lyme disease. What you need to know about serologic testing

Postgrad Med. 1997 Jul;102(1):65-7, 71-2. doi: 10.3810/pgm.1997.07.260.

Abstract

Lyme disease can be difficult to recognize because not all patients have erythema migrans or other classic symptoms. Therefore, laboratory testing has become an important aid to clinical diagnosis. But the story doesn't end there-serologic testing presents another set of problems and concerns. Drs. Still and Ryan explain how aspects of the disease itself and various factors inherent in the available tests can affect laboratory results.

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Bacterial / blood
  • Blotting, Western
  • Borrelia burgdorferi Group / immunology
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect
  • Humans
  • Lyme Disease / diagnosis*
  • Serologic Tests / methods

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bacterial