Apr 15, 2025
Lyme Disease Test
Worried about a tick bite? Get tested for Lyme and tick-borne infections. Accurate blood testing for Borrelia and other tick diseases at Mito Health.
Imagine hiking along a mountain trail when, unbeknownst to you, a black-legged tick attaches itself to your skin during its most active feeding time. If you are concerned about exposure or experiencing fatigue, fever, and a bull's-eye rash, begin with a Lyme disease blood test to evaluate your current health condition. Mito Health offers accurate and comprehensive blood tests for Lyme disease using the latest technology and meticulous laboratory procedures.
Tick Bites, Lyme Disease, and Borrelia Infection: What You Need to Know
In recent years, diagnoses of Lyme disease have increased dramatically, making it the most common tick-borne infectious disease in the United States. But what exactly is Lyme disease, and how do you get infected? Lyme disease results from a bacterial infection caused by a bite of black-legged ticks that carry Borrelia bacteria. For a tick to infect you, it must remain attached for 24 to 48 hours. Following the tick bite, you may notice a skin rash known as erythema migrans (EM) or a bull's-eye rash, along with fever, chills, headache, fatigue, muscle and joint pains, and swollen lymph nodes. If you don’t treat the infection early, it can spread to other body parts. You may experience severe headache, neck stiffness, more EM rashes on different areas, facial palsy, arthritis with extreme joint pain and swelling, heart palpitations or irregular heartbeat, dizziness or shortness of breath, and nerve pain. Diagnosing Lyme disease can be challenging because its symptoms often overlap with other medical conditions. Laboratory tests for Lyme disease are essential for establishing a clear diagnosis before it worsens.
The Purpose of Lyme Disease Testing
The primary goal of Lyme disease laboratory testing is to detect the presence of antibodies produced by the body's immune system in your blood as a response to bacterial infection. The said globulin antibodies, immunoglobulin M (IgM) and immunoglobulin G (IgG), fight off the bacterial infection. To confirm that you are infected with Lyme disease bacteria, healthcare providers may perform a blood test or, in some cases, a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) test.
Types of Lyme Disease Tests
1. Blood Tests
The most common way to diagnose Lyme disease is through blood tests. The standard method involves two steps: the ELISA Test to check for antibodies (IgM and IgG) against the bacteria and a follow-up Western Blot Test to confirm the positive result. Lyme disease antibody testing is most useful for late-stage Lyme disease or if early symptoms do not include the usual EM rash. If your first Lyme disease blood test results are negative, but you still have strong symptoms—especially if they have lasted less than 30 days—you may need another test so that the antibodies can reach detectable levels.
2. CSF Tests
Testing the CSF is necessary when a patient shows neurological symptoms and has uncertain blood test results. By looking for antibodies in the CSF and comparing them to those in the blood, doctors can determine if the immune response is occurring in the central nervous system.
When Should You Get a Tick Bite Blood Test?
You should consider testing if you’ve experienced:
A recent tick bite (especially in wooded areas)
Flu-like symptoms: fatigue, fever, or headaches
A visible bull’s-eye rash
Signs of tick fever, swollen joints, or nerve pain
Our tick disease blood test detects infections even if symptoms don’t appear immediately.
Interpreting Lyme Disease Test Results
ELISA Test
A negative ELISA test result indicates few or no antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi, making Lyme disease less likely if symptoms have lasted over 30 days. Repeating testing may be necessary if symptoms are newer (under 30 days). A positive result shows the presence of antibodies but requires a follow-up Western blot test for confirmation.
Western Blot Test
A negative result likely suggests that the initial ELISA result was a false positive, making Lyme disease unlikely. If your result is another positive and it meets CDC criteria, it strongly indicates a Lyme disease infection.
CSF Test
A negative CSF test result doesn't rule out Lyme disease affecting the nervous system, but extra tests may be needed. The infection may have reached the central nervous system if your result is still positive.
When you join Mito Health, you’ll get a personalized report of our Lyme disease testing results, available on your Mito Health Dashboard. It will give you clear insights into your ELISA and Western Blot test results or the CSF test for Lyme disease.
