Comprehensive Lyme Disease Testing Services
Lyme disease is a tick-borne zoonosis caused by infection with the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. Its clinical course is complex. Early stages often present with erythema migrans (a "bull's-eye" rash). If left untreated, the pathogen can disseminate throughout the body, leading to severe complications such as arthritis, heart block, and neurological damage (Lyme neuroborreliosis).
Due to its diverse clinical symptoms and variable incubation periods, precise laboratory diagnostics are essential for confirming infection, guiding clinical treatment, and conducting epidemiological research. We strictly adhere to the internationally recommended "Two-Tiered Testing" algorithm. By combining this with cutting-edge antigen quantification technology, Creative Diagnostics provides a complete testing solution—from early screening to definitive confirmation, spanning both serological and central nervous system evaluations.
Our Services
We have built a multi-dimensional Lyme disease testing matrix to meet diagnostic and research needs across all stages of the disease:
- High-Sensitivity IgG/IgM Antibody Screening: As the first step in the "Two-Tiered" algorithm, we use Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) for broad-spectrum screening. Our rigorously validated platform delivers exceptional performance with ≥95% sensitivity and ≥90% specificity, efficiently capturing early immunoglobulin signals to minimize false negatives.
- Western Blot Confirmation: For samples that are positive or equivocal in the initial ELISA screen, we provide gold-standard secondary confirmation. Our immunoblot platform accurately detects 10 specific protein bands, including core markers like OspC and VlsE. This effectively rules out cross-reactivity (false positives) caused by other spirochetes or autoimmune diseases, delivering conclusive results.
- Ultra-Sensitive Borrelia burgdorferi Antigen Detection: Overcoming the "window period" limitations of traditional antibody tests, we utilize flow fluorimetry technology to perform absolute quantification of Borrelia antigens in biological samples. This highly sensitive technology captures trace antigen concentrations down to the pg/mL level, providing direct pathogenic evidence of active infection.
- In-Depth Lyme Neuroborreliosis Assessment (CSF Antibody Index): For complex cases with suspected central nervous system involvement, we offer simultaneous evaluation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum samples. By rigorously calculating the CSF/serum IgG ratio, a value ≥1.5 provides strong evidence for the localized intrathecal synthesis of specific antibodies, highly indicating a neurological infection.
Our Advantages
- Full Disease-Course Coverage: Integrating direct antigen quantification with indirect antibody screening perfectly covers every stage of infection, from early exposure (before antibodies form) to late-stage complications.
- Strict Standard Compliance: We rigorously execute the industry-recognized Two-Tiered Testing algorithm, combined with multi-target Western blotting, to ensure exceptionally high specificity and accuracy.
- Flexible Sample Types: We support the in-depth analysis of various hard-to-obtain samples, including serum, plasma, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and synovial fluid, meeting both basic research and clinical translational needs.
- High-Quality Delivery: Utilizing automated instruments and standardized SOPs, we minimize human error to ensure consistent, highly reproducible data both within and across testing batches.
Workflow
Our expert team aligns with your research background or clinical needs to select the most appropriate assay combination (e.g., a single-target screen vs. full two-tiered testing).
We provide detailed guidelines for sample handling and preservation (such as specific low-temperature storage for CSF) to ensure the stability of target molecules.
Upon arrival, samples undergo immediate quality control before moving to our automated platforms for ELISA, flow fluorimetry, or immunoblot analysis.
Senior experts review the raw data to deliver a comprehensive report that includes quantitative values (e.g., pg/mL antigen concentration), blot images, and professional interpretative conclusions.
As tick-borne diseases increasingly draw public health attention, early and accurate laboratory diagnostics are the key to improving prognoses and reducing the risk of severe complications. We look forward to becoming your reliable testing and research partner, using rigorous data to reveal the true picture of Lyme infections. Contact our technical experts today to discuss your sample testing needs, and let's work together to accelerate disease diagnostics and research!
