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Diagnosing Lyme disease has so far been very difficult – the obstacle was the various and often confusing symptoms, which often made it impossible to clearly identify the disease. Now this may change due to the new test. Thanks to it, the diagnosis of tick-borne Lyme disease will not only be more certain, but it will be possible to make it several weeks earlier than before, which is of great importance for the success of treatment.
Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne disease. The number of patients worldwide continues to grow. Already, every year in the USA 300 are infected with it. people. According to the data of the National Institute of Public Health, the number of Lyme patients in Poland has almost doubled within four years (research dates back to 2017) – to 21,5 thousand.
A typical symptom of Lyme disease – which, however, does not always occur – is the so-called migratory erythema (circular redness that widens). Patients may develop general breakdown, muscle pain, headache, fever or low-grade fever, drowsiness, bone pain. Lyme disease can take the form of arthritis, encephalitis and meningitis, and even, less frequently, myocarditis.
Two main tests are currently in use to diagnose Lyme disease: ELISA and Western blot. However, they do not directly detect the disease itself, but the presence of antibodies that appear in the body when it comes into contact with the bacteria that cause Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi spirochetes). Thus, it is impossible to unequivocally state whether a tested person has Lyme disease or not. It is only known that she had contact with spirochetes. Meanwhile, Lyme disease can be sick many times, and antibodies remain in the blood for a long time after the previous infection has healed.
Difficulties related to the diagnosis of Lyme disease stimulated scientists to work on creating a more reliable and faster study. There are already results, what’s more, they can bring a revolution in the diagnosis of this dangerous disease.
Thanks to the cooperation of scientists from Rutgers, Harvard and Yale universities, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, FDA (American Food and Drug Administration) and the Centers for Disease Control, a test was created that directly detects the presence of DNA or proteins of Borrelia burgdorferi in the blood, i.e. confirm that you are infected. The great advantage of the developed test is also that it allows you to confirm Lyme disease even a few weeks earlier than other tests – so you can start treatment faster and increase your chances.
It is not yet known when the test will become widely used.
Comp. on the basis of Zdrowie.gazeta.pl; science.pap.com.pl