i-Screen Lyme Disease Check
Type
Blood Testing
Biomarkers
1
Duration
30 min
Results
5 days
Lyme disease serology test to detect antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi.
Lyme disease blood testing screens for antibodies your immune system produces in response to Borrelia burgdorferi — the bacterium transmitted through tick bites that causes Lyme disease. The standard testing protocol follows a two-tier approach: an initial ELISA or immunofluorescence assay (IFA) followed by a confirmatory Western blot if the first test is positive or equivocal. Antibodies typically take 2–6 weeks to develop after infection, so very early testing can produce false negatives. Some functional medicine providers also offer more specialized tests. Early detection and treatment with antibiotics is crucial, as untreated Lyme disease can progress to affect the joints, heart, and nervous system.
Key Details
- Biomarkers
- Antibody screen + confirmatory test
- Fasting Required
- No
- Sample Type
- Blood draw
- Turnaround
- 3–7 business days
- Important
- Test 2–6 weeks after exposure for accuracy
Who Is This For?
Anyone who has been bitten by a tick or spent time in tick-endemic areas. People experiencing the characteristic bull's-eye rash (erythema migrans). Those with unexplained symptoms including fatigue, joint pain, headaches, or nerve pain after outdoor exposure. People living in or traveling to regions with high Lyme disease prevalence.
What's Included
Preparation Required
No fasting required. Inform your provider of any recent tick bites, outdoor exposure, or symptoms and their timeline. Note that antibodies take 2–6 weeks to develop — testing too early after a bite may produce a false negative.
Biomarkers Tested
1The Lyme disease spiral bacterium (spirochete).
- Category
- Diagnostic
- Sample Type
- Blood draw
- Duration
- 30 min
- Results
- 5 days