Who Does It - Doctor, nurse, or lab technician. It Takes - Time required to draw blood or cerebrospinal fluid. Antibody levels tend to rise after the initial infection, peak after six to eight weeks of illness, and decline after four to six months, although in some people they remain elevated indefinitely. False-positive results may be caused by a variety of disorders, including infectious mononucleosis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, periodontal disease, and other diseases caused by spirochetes.
Tests performed in various laboratories differ in their reliability.
Identical blood or CSF samples sent to different laboratories may produce different results. When the doctor considers Lyme disease unlikely, negative test results may help rule it out. Advantages - It provides the most practical way of confirming the diagnosis of Lyme disease. False-positive results may lead to inappropriate and ineffective treatment. The next step - Together with the presence of symptoms and the doctor's observations, a positive test is often sufficient to begin treatment.