infections
Lyme Disease
Diagnosis of Lyme Disease
Blood tests Sometimes examination of a sample of joint fluid or cerebrospinal fluid (obtained by spinal tap) The diagnosis of Lyme disease is usually based on all of the following: Typical symptoms, including rash (particularly erythema migrans) Opportunity for exposure (living in or visiting an area where Lyme disease is common) Test results Usually, doctors do Tests That Detect Antibodies to or Antigens of Microorganisms . ( Antibodies develop in more than 95% of people who have had the infection for at least a month, particularly if they have not taken antibiotics. Once antibodies develop, they last for many years. Thus, antibodies may be present after Lyme disease has resolved or in people who have had an infection that did not cause symptoms. Interpreting the results of blood tests is difficult. The uncertainty causes several problems. For example, in areas where Lyme disease is common, many people who have painful joints, trouble concentrating, or persistent fatigue worry that they have late-stage Lyme disease, even though they never had a rash or any other symptoms of early-stage Lyme disease. Usually, Lyme disease is not the cause. But they may have antibodies for the bacteria because they were infected years before and the antibodies last a long time. Thus, if a doctor treats people based solely on results of antibody tests, many people who do not have Lyme disease are treated with long, useless courses of antibiotics. Cultures are not helpful becauseBorrelia burgdorferiis difficult to grow in the laboratory. Sometimes doctors insert a needle into a joint to take a sample of joint fluid or do a Spinal Tap (lumbar puncture) to take a sample of the fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord (cerebrospinal fluid). Fragments of the bacteria’s genetic material may be present and detected using the 