NYMC Faculty Publications
Documentation of a False Positive Lyme Disease Serologic Test in a Patient with Untreated Babesia Microti Infection Carries Implications for Accurately Determining the Frequency of Lyme Disease Coinfections
Author Type(s)
Faculty
DOI
10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2021.115429
Journal Title
Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease
First Page
115429
Last Page
115429
Document Type
Case Report
Publication Date
9-2021
Department
Medicine
Abstract
Although many infections may potentially cause a false positive Borrelia burgdorferi antibody test, particularly for IgM antibody, babesiosis is not regarded as an infection that does this. A patient with untreated babesiosis is described here who developed transient IgM seropositivity for antibodies to B. burgdorferi. Thus, the diagnosis of Lyme disease coinfection in patients with active babesiosis, as in patients with human granulocytic anaplasmosis, is more convincingly accomplished if an objective clinical manifestation of Lyme disease is present, such as an erythema migrans skin lesion.
Recommended Citation
Wormser, G. P. (2021). Documentation of a False Positive Lyme Disease Serologic Test in a Patient with Untreated Babesia Microti Infection Carries Implications for Accurately Determining the Frequency of Lyme Disease Coinfections. Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease, 101 (1), 115429-115429. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2021.115429
