Can you have Lyme If Western blot is negative?

Recent studies, in fact, report that the ELISA and Western blot can miss up to 60 percent of well-defined Lyme disease cases.

Can you have lymes disease and test negative?

There are many reasons why someone who actually has Lyme may have a negative test result. There may not have been time for antibodies to develop; the immune system may be suppressed; or the person may be infected with a strain the test doesn’t measure.

How accurate is Western blot for Lyme?

According to the CDC, 5 of the bands must be positive for an overall positive, reportable Western blot test result. This is generally considered the most reliable test currently available (although it is estimated to be only 80\% accurate even at the best labs).

Can Lyme disease be missed in a blood test?

A tricky diagnosis But while this approach is good at diagnosing the disease at later stages, it can miss the disease early on when antibody levels are low. In the first three weeks after infection, the test only detects Lyme 29 to 40 percent of the time.

Can Western blot test be wrong?

Since the Western blot test checks for antibodies, it may give false negatives for both conditions if it’s administered too soon. In some instances, certain conditions such as lupus may also cause false positives to occur.

What does non reactive Lyme test mean?

A negative result means that no antibodies were found. But Lyme disease is hard to diagnose. This is partly because the antibodies may not show up in your blood for several weeks. If your results are negative shortly after you’ve been infected, the result could be a false-negative.

What if Western blot is negative?

A negative Western blot result is defined as the absence of all bands. The result is considered indeterminate when one or more bands are present but do not meet the criteria for a positive Western blot result.

How accurate is the Western blot test?

The Western blot test separates the blood proteins and detects the specific proteins (called HIV antibodies) that indicate an HIV infection. The Western blot is used to confirm a positive ELISA, and the combined tests are 99.9\% accurate.

What can cause false positive Lyme test?

Infection with other diseases, including some tickborne diseases, or some viral, bacterial, or autoimmune diseases, can result in false positive test results. Some tests give results for two types of antibody, IgM and IgG. Positive IgM results should be disregarded if the patient has been ill for more than 30 days.

How accurate is a Western blot test?

Can you test positive for Lyme disease and not have it?

Positive results don’t always mean a Lyme disease diagnosis. In some cases, you can have a positive result but not have an infection. Positive results may also mean you have an autoimmune disease, such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.