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Lyme disease is a serious disease that can be transmitted through infected ticks. It occurs through infection with the spirochete species Borrelia burgdorferi. The risk of infection increases when the tick is stuck in the host for a long time. All through the saliva, as well as the contents of the intestine that the tick secretes into the wound.
- Lyme disease is a dangerous disease that can be infected from a tick
- The indication for the examination for Lyme disease are disturbing symptoms, including skin changes
- The basic test is the determination of antibodies
- You can find more such stories on the TvoiLokony home page
What is Lyme disease?
Lyme disease, or too krolithiasis tickle, is a bacterial disease transmitted by ticks. Not all ticks carry dangerous pathogens, but alarming symptoms that appear after a tick bite should motivate you to perform diagnostic tests. A quick response is important because Lyme disease affects the skin, joints, the nervous system and sometimes the heart muscle as well.
Early diagnosis of Lyme disease gives a chance to stop the disease before it causes serious damage to various systems and organs.
Have a question about ticks or tick-borne diseases? Send them to the following address: [email protected].
You can find the list of answers to the most important questions HERE: Ticks and Lyme disease – frequently asked questions and answers
Lyme disease – indication for examination
To perform Lyme disease tests, we should be prompted by the disturbing symptoms that appear after a tick bite. Particularly characteristic skin lesions suggest that a spirochete infection has occurred. Unfortunately, in some patients the infection is asymptomatic in its initial stage, which may make it difficult to quickly detection of tick-borne diseases.
A tick bite is the first signal to consider testing for tick-borne infections. Not every tick spreads serious diseases, but quick diagnosis is key. Check what such tests can look like:
What symptoms should prompt you to undergo testing? It is certainly the so-called wandering erythema. It can be observed approximately seven days after the tick bite. It is a red dot with a brighter dot in the center. Most often it reaches a size of up to five cm. Sometimes it can go unnoticed because it doesn’t hurt, burn or itch.
Very rare complication after a tick bite is lymphocytic lymphoma. It is a kind of painless lump that is located, for example, in the area of the auricle, on the nipple or scrotum. One of the more serious complications of a tick bite is involvement of the nervous system, which can lead to meningitis. Additionally, myocarditis may also appear.
- Get vaccinated against tick-borne encephalitis
The type of Lyme disease test is selected based on the patient’s symptoms. At the early stage of infection (erythema), diagnosis is difficult – then, a highly sensitive PCR method can be used.
Lyme disease test – ELISA test
The basic test for Lyme disease, i.e. the ELISA test, is performed at the stage of initial diagnostics. It is a determination of specific antibodies that are detected in the course of Lyme disease. They are produced by the immune system, which tries to fight pathogens attacking the body.
The ELISA test is a test for the presence of IgG and IgM antibodies in the blood. Unfortunately, its effectiveness is limited, especially in the early stages of the disease, and the result can be a false negative or a false positive. For this reason ELISA results should be verified with the Western Blot test in the following situations:
- when an ELISA test confirms infection;
- when the ELISA test is inconclusive;
- when the ELISA test is negative despite the patient having symptoms suggesting Lyme disease.
The price of the ELISA test for Lyme disease outside the packages ranges from 30–100 PLN.
Lyme disease test – Western Blot
Like ELISA, also Western Blot study includes tests for IgG and IgM antibodies. The detection of tick-borne pathogens is much higher with the Western Blot test. However, it is a long wait for the results (up to 6 weeks), and the price is also higher, which on average (depending on the laboratory) is approx. PLN 170-300.
- Buy a laboratory diagnosis of Lyme disease for IgG and IgM antibodies (from PLN 129)
PCR test for Lyme disease
Another diagnostic method to detect Lyme disease are molecular biology techniques, i.e. PCR. This means that the presence of tick spirochetes in the patient’s body is detected by a DNA test. PCR test is highly sensitive and enables effective detection of genetic material of bacteria that cause Lyme disease. However, it may produce a false positive if dead pathogens are present in the body.
ELISA, Western Blot and PCR tests are performed on the basis of a patient’s blood sample.
PCR testing is indicated in people who cannot be tested for antigens or if the disease is suspected to be advanced. The price of a PCR test for Lyme disease it may fluctuate between PLN 130-175. Full PCR panels detecting also other tick-borne infections can cost even about PLN 300-600 (depending on the number of pathogens included in the panel).
Check if the tick that bit you was transmitting Lyme disease. On Medonet Market, order the PCR mail-order test for Lyme disease (tick test).
- Do you have symptoms of tick-borne diseases? Buy genetic material testing for tick-borne infections (from PLN 135)
If it is suspected that a patient has developed Lyme disease, i.e. Lyme disease that affects the nervous system, it is possible to perform a CSF examination. It is based on the analysis of the cerebrospinal fluid.
Lyme disease test – NHF
Lyme disease tests can be performed at the National Health Fund, but they must be serious premises indicating the possibility of infection. You should visit your GP first. He will conduct an interview and assess the risk of developing a tick-borne disease. Lyme disease testing can be ordered not only by an infectious disease specialist, but also by a neurologist, ophthalmologist or dermatologist, which is due to the fact that Lyme disease affects various organs.
Lyme disease test – price
Due to the fact that not every doctor will order a Lyme test, a large number of people decide to do it themselves, but it should not be done without a doctor’s recommendation. Usually, we will pay no more than several dozen zlotys for basic IgG and IgM antibody tests, but Western Blot, PCR or PMR tests cost more than PLN 100. The price varies depending on the place where we make the marking.
- Buy a package of tests for the diagnosis of Lyme disease (from PLN 129) – do not hesitate and have the tests performed
Lyme disease test and the form of the disease – what test to perform?
W diagnosis of Lyme disease the basis is the diagnosis of clinical symptoms and information about a tick bite. However, not always characteristic symptoms such as erythema migrans are observed in the patient. The patient may also not know that he has been bitten by a tick. As for laboratory diagnostic methods, the disease identification tests mentioned above are used. However, it is important to correctly match the Lyme test to the form of the disease that the patient is likely to develop.
Some types of Lyme disease can be efficiently detected by serological methods due to a marked increase in the level of antibodies, others require the use of molecular biology (PCR) techniques. A type of Lyme disease test depends on the stage of the disease:
- wandering erythema – when this skin symptom is observed, the only effective form of diagnostics is molecular testing, including PCR of a skin section;
- arthritis – in this case, ELISA and Western Blot tests are effective, because the patients’ IgG increases significantly; PCR of the synovial fluid is also performed;
- early-stage neuroborreliosis – examination of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) by PCR; serological tests are also performed;
- cutaneous lymphocytic lymphoma – in the case of this symptom of Lyme disease, the detection of IgG and IgM antibodies (ELISA and Western Blot) is performed
- cardiac form of Lyme disease – diagnosis is similar to that of cutaneous lymphocytic lymphoma;
- chronic atrophic dermatitis – in the diagnosis of this form of Lyme disease, the IgG antibody test, PCR test and histopathological test of the skin section are used.
The false-positive results of the Lyme disease tests relate in particular to the testing of IgM antibodies and are the result of various cross-reactions. Their cause may be autoimmune diseases, rheumatoid factors in the blood serum or infections caused, among others, by by herpes virus (especially Epstein-Barr), human immunodeficiency virus type 1 or bacteria Helicobacter pylori or Ehrlichia.
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