Direct Diagnostic Tests for Lyme Disease

Authors

Steven E. Schutzer
Barbara A. Body
Jeff Boyle
Bernard M. Branson
Raymond J. Dattwyler, New York Medical CollegeFollow
Erol Fikrig
Noel J. Gerald
Maria Gomes-Solecki
John A. Branda

Journal Title

Clinical Infectious Diseases

First Page

1052

Last Page

1057

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

March 2019

Department

Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology

Abstract

Borrelia burgdorferi was discovered to be the cause of Lyme disease in 1983, leading to seroassays. The 1994 serodiagnostic testing guidelines predated a full understanding of key B. burgdorferi antigens and have a number of shortcomings. These serologic tests cannot distinguish active infection, past infection, or reinfection. Reliable direct-detection methods for active B. burgdorferi infection have been lacking in the past but are needed and appear achievable. New approaches have effectively been applied to other emerging infections and show promise in direct detection of B. burgdorferi infections.

Comments

Please see the work itself for the complete list of authors.

Recommended Citation

Schutzer, S., Body, B., Boyle, J., Branson, B., Dattwyler, R., Fikrig, E., Gerald, N., Gomes-Solecki, M., & Branda, J. (2019). Direct Diagnostic Tests for Lyme Disease. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 68 (6), 1052-1057. https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciy614