Synonyms: Anti-Borrelia antibodies
Clinical significance
Discovered in 1982, the spirochaete Borrelia burgdorferi is the cause of Lyme borreliosis, a disease transmitted by several species of ticks of the genus Ixodes. Lyme borreliosis is a multisystem disease that can affect various organs, such as the skin, nervous system, large joints and cardiovascular system. Although the bacteria that cause Lyme disease trigger a vigorous immune response, the spirochaetes survive and persist in the circulation of infected people. Lyme borreliosis generally progresses, like syphilis, through several clinical stages:
- Stage 1: a skin lesion at the site of the tick bite; without treatment, early infection with a localised rash can become a disseminated infection.
- Stage 2: neurological disorders.
- Stage 3: arthritis, which may be seen even years after infection.
Clinical indications
Differential diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis.
Sample type
The patient must have a blood sample taken.
Preparation
You must fast for at least 8 hours; a small amount of water is allowed.
Notes
IgG absent, IgM absent: no exposure. If the clinical picture is uncertain, patients should be monitored over time.
IgG present, IgM absent: past infection.
IgG absent, IgM present: early-stage infection.
IgG present, IgM present: acute infection
Antibody levels are negative during the first week after infection.
Antibiotic treatment in the early stages of the disease often prevents an immune response from developing.