Are there other blood tests that are used to help diagnose Lyme disease?
In several research centers, special blood tests have been developed to study the antibodies more thoroughly. The ‘Western blot” helps determine the pattern and types of antibodies made by a patient during an infection. This time-consuming test may show that antibodies are present to organisms other than to the Borrelia burgdorferi spirochete of Lyme disease. Or the pattern may reveal antibody response to various B. burgdorferi proteins, suggesting that organism was the culprit. As with all research tests, there are many problems that need to be worked out before they become widely available. Newer, more accurate, and quicker tests are being studied, but are not developed as yet. Where can I go to get the blood test? Your private physician can draw the blood and send it to a lab, or he can refer you directly to a laboratory in your area. Are the blood tests reliable? Not always. The tests may fail to diagnose Lyme disease. The ELISA test is more accurate after the first four weeks of i
