Lyme disease is a serious condition caused by three different species of bacteria. It is a highly infectious disease and therefore should be diagnosed properly to prevent its spread. Elisa test, which is more commonly associated with the testing for AIDS, is used to test the presence of antibodies of Lyme disease.
This is a blood test and to conduct the test, a blood sample is drawn from the body of the patient, using a needle and syringe. Once the blood is collected, it is put into sterilized bottles, labeled, and sent immediately to the laboratories to be studied.
To diagnose the disease, the ELISA test is first performed on the blood sample. This test typically looks for the presence of antibodies in the blood serum. If the ELISA test comes out to be positive, further testing is done through an ink blot test. There are no special precautions or preparations required for this test. The ELISA test is simply a screening test and only in rare cases will the results of this test be considered when making a final diagnosis.
If the serum titer is non reactive, or has very little antibody count, it is considered to be normal. In case the ELISA test is negative, no further testing is required and you are declared negative for Lyme’s disease. The normal values depend on the method of testing used and therefore differ from laboratory to laboratory. Your doctor will be able to analyze the test results, giving you an accurate picture and diagnosis.
Almost all abnormal test results are followed up with another test known as the western inkblot test. Only if the inkblot test is positive, Lyme disease is confirmed. This is because there is a huge incidence of false positives on ELISA tests. There are many cases where even after Lyme disease treatment is administered, ELISA tests continue to remain positive. This is because the ELISA test could show positive even if you are suffering from conditions like rheumatoid arthritis or other similar diseases. There are also some patients who give a false negative, especially if they have been taking antibodies.
There are no risks involved in the test procedure. There is also no chance of complications. The prick of the needle may hurt you when blood is being drawn from your body; however, the discomfort is temporary. If you have problems or disorders related to poor clotting of the blood, you should inform the doctor beforehand.