From the Research
Laboratory testing after a tick bite is typically not recommended immediately after the bite, but rather if symptoms develop, and usually includes a two-tier testing approach for Lyme disease, starting with an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) or immunofluorescence assay (IFA), followed by a Western blot if the first test is positive 1.
Key Considerations
- The risk of tick-borne illnesses, such as Lyme disease, increases with the time of tick engorgement, but not every infection necessarily causes symptoms 2.
- Testing is most accurate when performed 2-6 weeks after infection, as antibodies take time to develop, and early testing may yield false negatives.
- Other tests may include PCR for tick-borne pathogens, complete blood count to check for abnormalities, and tests for co-infections like anaplasmosis, babesiosis, or Rocky Mountain spotted fever depending on your geographic location and the type of tick.
Recommendations
- If you've been bitten by a tick, monitor for symptoms like fever, rash (especially the characteristic bull's-eye rash of Lyme disease), fatigue, headache, or joint pain.
- Prompt medical attention is important if symptoms develop, as early treatment with antibiotics like doxycycline is most effective for preventing complications from tick-borne illnesses.
- The most recent and highest quality study 1 suggests that many providers evaluate patients for tick bites and treat patients for Lyme disease, but knowledge about appropriate testing is low, and providers may benefit from tailored education about appropriate Lyme disease diagnosis, testing, and effective tick-bite prevention.