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

Authors

Gary P. Wormser, New York Medical CollegeFollow

Author Type(s)

Faculty

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