From the Guidelines
The typical turnaround time for a Lyme disease test is approximately 1-2 weeks, as most laboratories require several days to process the standard two-tier testing approach, which involves an initial ELISA screening test followed by a Western blot confirmation test if the first test is positive or equivocal 1.
Factors Influencing Turnaround Time
- The specific laboratory's workload
- Whether the sample needs to be sent to a reference laboratory
- The testing methodology used
Important Considerations for Patients
- Early testing (within the first few weeks of infection) may yield false-negative results because antibodies take time to develop, so follow-up testing may be necessary if symptoms persist despite negative initial results 1
- Some specialized reference laboratories may offer faster results within 3-5 days, while point-of-care rapid tests might provide preliminary results in as little as 15-30 minutes, though these are less reliable and still require confirmation
Laboratory Testing Approach
- The recommended laboratory test in the United States is 2-tiered serologic analysis consisting of an enzyme-linked immunoassay or immunofluorescence assay, followed by reflexive immunoblotting 1
- Sensitivity of 2-tiered testing is low (30%–40%) during early infection while the antibody response is developing (window period), but specificity is high (>95%) during all stages of disease 1
From the Research
Turnaround Time for Lyme Disease Test
- The typical turnaround time for a laboratory to complete a Lyme disease test is not explicitly stated in the provided studies 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
- However, the studies discuss the various methods of laboratory testing for Lyme disease, including cultivation of B. burgdorferi, detection of spirochetal DNA by PCR, and detection of antibodies to B. burgdorferi by serologic assays 2.
- The two-test approach, which involves a standardized ELISA test followed by a Western blot assay, is still widely used for the diagnosis of Lyme disease 2, 5, 6.
- The sensitivity and specificity of these tests vary, and the results should be interpreted in the context of clinical manifestations and epidemiologic facts of the case 2, 3, 5, 6.
- There is no direct information available on the turnaround time for these tests, but it can be inferred that the time required to complete the tests may vary depending on the laboratory and the specific tests used.