From the Guidelines
The Lyme Total Antibody CIA should be used as an initial screening test for Lyme disease, followed by a Western blot or immunoblot for confirmation, as recommended by current guidelines 1. When interpreting the results of the Lyme Total Antibody CIA, it is essential to consider the clinical presentation and timing of illness, as the sensitivity of the test is low (30%–40%) during early infection, but higher (70%–100%) for disseminated Lyme disease 1.
- The test measures both IgM and IgG antibodies in a single assay, making it a comprehensive screening tool for Lyme infection.
- The CIA methodology offers improved sensitivity and specificity compared to older testing methods, potentially reducing false negatives in early infection.
- However, antibodies may not be detectable until several weeks after infection, so a negative result doesn't necessarily rule out recent infection.
- If the total antibody test is positive, follow-up testing with a Western blot or immunoblot is usually recommended to confirm the diagnosis before initiating treatment, as seroreactivity alone cannot be used as a marker of active disease 1.
- This two-tier testing approach helps distinguish true Lyme infections from false positives that can occur due to cross-reactivity with other conditions.
- It is also important to note that repeated infection with B. burgdorferi has been reported, and neither positive serologic test results nor a history of previous Lyme disease ensures that a person has protective immunity 1.
From the Research
Lyme Total Antibody CIA
- The provided studies do not directly address the topic of Lyme total antibody CIA.
- However, the studies discuss the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease, which may be related to the topic of Lyme total antibody CIA.
- According to 2, cefuroxime axetil and amoxicillin are effective treatments for children with early Lyme disease.
- The study 3 discusses the treatment of Lyme disease, including the use of oral antibiotics such as amoxicillin and doxycycline for early stages of the disease.
- The review 4 details the risk factors, clinical presentation, treatment, and prophylaxis for Lyme disease, including the use of doxycycline or amoxicillin for treatment.
- The study 5 discusses the efficiency of antibiotics in treating erythema migrans, the hallmark of early stage Lyme borreliosis, and notes that oral amoxicillin and doxycycline are first-line treatment options.
- The retrospective cohort study 6 reports the long-term clinical outcomes of patients with early localized and early disseminated Lyme disease based on the duration of antibiotic therapy prescribed, and finds that patients treated for 10 days with antibiotic therapy have long-term outcomes similar to those of patients treated with longer courses.