Aiding in the diagnosis of neuroinvasive Lyme disease or neuroborreliosis due to Borrelia species associated with Lyme disease (eg, B burgdorferi, B garinii, B afzelli)
Spinal fluid (CSF)
- Do not submit CSF from the first vial due to the possibility of blood contamination, which will cause specimen rejection.
Serum:
Gold serum separator (SST) tube:
Following centrifucation of the SST tube, rubberband the CSF vial and SST tubes together.
Sterile vial and Gold serum separator (SST) tube
Once the serum is transferred to a Screw cap transfer vial/tube (Mayo T465), rubberband the CSF and serum transfer vials together.
Refrigerated (preferred) - 11 days
Frozen - 35 days
Serum:
CSF:
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA)
Negative
Negative:
No antibodies to Lyme disease causing Borrelia species detected in spinal fluid. A negative result in a patient with appropriate exposure history and symptoms consistent with neuroinvasive Lyme disease should not be used to exclude infection. Testing for antibodies to Lyme disease-causing Borrelia species in serum should be performed.
Reactive:
Supplemental testing to determine a Lyme central nervous system antibody index has been ordered. Diagnosis of neuroinvasive Lyme disease should not be established solely based on a reactive screening result.