A positive DNA sequencing establishes the diagnosis of Lyme bacterial infection of the blood beyond a reasonable doubt. The nested PCR test has increased the power of detecting Lyme disease bacterial DNA by 100 to 1000 fold. However, a negative result still does not exclude the existence of a Lyme bacterial infection because the bacteria travel through the circulating blood only very briefly, and the time points vary from patient to patient.
This new DNA test may help physicians to diagnose Lyme disease several weeks before the traditional antibody test for Lyme disease becomes positive. Timely, appropriate antibiotic treatment based on accurate early diagnosis is highly effective in preventing tissue damage and the infection from going into chronic phase. Furthermore, some patients suffering from Lyme disease do not develop the characteristic antibodies at all. The blood culture technique is useless in the diagnosis of early Lyme disease because the bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi, are very difficult to grow.
People living in or visiting an area where Lyme disease is endemic should know:
1) About 50% of the deer ticks (for example, in southern Connecticut) are infected by Lyme disease bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi.
2) Being bitten by a deer tick infected by the Lyme disease bacteria does not invariably lead to developing Lyme disease.
3) Lyme disease is not always associated with a patient’s recalled history of tick bite on the skin although the disease is invariably transmitted by a tick bite.
4) From the time of a noticed tick bite to the time for the first Lyme disease symptoms to develop may take 3 to 30 days.
5) Clinical symptoms or manifestations of early Lyme disease vary greatly, which may include flu-like headaches, muscle aches in the neck and in the extremities, pain around joints, chills, low-grade fever, enlarged lymph nodes and a skin rash which may have a “bull’s eye” appearance.
6) The best time to diagnose Lyme disease bacteria in the blood is the onset of the early Lyme clinical symptoms and manifestations.If you suspect you have Lyme disease, or were bitten by a deer tick, do the following:
1) See a physician familiar with Lyme disease without delay when you have clinical symptoms and manifestations of early Lyme disease. This ensures the physician can order the correct lab tests, including an antibody test and a DNA test on your blood.
2) If you have a tick bite, don’t panic. Most tick bites do not lead to Lyme disease. But if you develop a symptom or a manifestation suggestive of early Lyme disease in the next 30 days, go to see a physician immediately to get blood tests.
3) If the tick pulled out from your skin bite tests negative for Lyme disease bacteria DNA by nested PCR, there is no chance that the tick bite has infected you with the Lyme disease bacteria.
4) If the tick pulled out from your skin bite is positive for Lyme disease bacteria infection by nested PCR, you may not necessarily develop Lyme disease. But let your physician know the test result on the tick, and pay attention to your health conditions. If you develop symptoms and manifestations of early Lyme disease, go to visit your physician immediately for clinical and laboratory test evaluation.
5) In case you pull out a tick from a skin bite, and lose the tick before submitting the tick for Lyme bacterial DNA testing, don’t panic. Watch if you develop any symptoms in the next 30 days. See a physician if you develop the symptoms and manifestations suggestive of early Lyme disease. You will feel sick in some way if there are Lyme bacteria in your blood.How Can We Help?
Milford Medical Laboratory offers the nested PCR and automated DNA sequencing test for detecting and confirming Lyme disease bacteria in ticks and in the patient’s blood and joint fluid. To submit a specimen, click on the "Forms to Request Lyme DNA and Blood/Fluid Test" and print the appropriate form. If you have questions about our service, go to links at top right of this page, under "For More Information."
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