This test measures the level of Borrelia antibodies in your blood. Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria cause Lyme disease.
The bacteria are spread to humans through the bite of an infected tick.
Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne illness in the U.S. If not treated, Lyme disease can cause an infection of the tissues covering the brain and spinal cord (meningitis). It can also cause:
- Liver and heart problems
- Inability to control facial muscles (facial palsy)
- Problems that may show up months or years later, such as ongoing pain and tiredness, arthritis, and problems with memory and concentration
The IgG antibodies are produced once an infection has been going on for a while, and may even be present after the infection has been resolved. The presence of IgG antibodies to an organism when accompanied by a negative IgM test for the same organism means that the person was exposed to that organism at one time and developed antibodies to it, but does not have a current active infection of that organism. People who test positive by IgM but not IgG should have the test repeated a few weeks later if they remain ill. If the person is positive only by IgM and has been ill longer than one month, this is likely a false positive result for Lyme disease.
Lyme IgG CIA
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