Ant-B. burgdorferi IgG & IgM (Lyme Disease) (Blood)

Testing Laboratory

Auckland Te Toka Tumai | Auckland Hospital

Department

Virology

Delphic Registration Code (Alpha Code)

BOR

Test Code (Numeric Code)

7111

Laboratory Handling

Phlebotomy

Serum

Transport

Ambient (8 - 24 °C) within 48 hours; Chilled (4 - 8 °C) if longer than 48 hours

Registration

BOR

Sample Stability

Up to 48 hours: 8 - 24 °C; Up to 14 days: 4 - 8 °C; Up to 6 months: -30 °C; Indefinite at - 80 °C

Synonyms

Lyme Disease
Lyme borreliosis

Turnaround Time

6 weeks

Between 3 to 6 weeks; tested in a batch size of 6

Specimen Type

• Serum

Specimen Requirements

Tube/Container Type:

Preferred

• SST II (Gold Cap)

Acceptable

• Plain (Red Top)

Preferred Sample Volume (ml)

3.5

Minimum Sample Volume (ml)

1

Paediatric Specimen Requirements

Tube/Container Type:

Preferred

• SST II (Gold Cap)

Acceptable

• Plain(Microtainer)
• SST(Microtainer)
• Plain (Red Top)

Minimum Sample Volume (ml)

1

Additional Specimen Information

Paediatric Specimen: 2 mL clotted blood or 1 mL serum

Aliquot Instructions

Sample Type

• Serum

Minimum Volume (ml)

0.2

Transport to Lab

Chilled (2 - 8 degrees Celsius)

Test Method

Line immunoassay (LIA).

Limitations / Interference

Grossly haemolysed, icteric, and/or high lipaemic serum specimens:

a) Icteric sera with bilirubin concentration up to 0.4 mg/mL
b) Haemolytic sera with haemoglobulin concentration up to 5 mg/mL
c) Lipaemic sera with triglycerides concentration up to 20 mg/mL

Cross-reactivity with other pathogenic spirochetal diseases such as Syphilis has been reported. Additional cross reactivity has been reported in Leptospirosis, Infectious Mononucleosis and SLE.

Although the clinical picture of Lyme disease is quite different from that of active syphilis, an easy means of differentiating these two diseases is by the use of the VDRL or RPR tests. In active syphilis the VDRL or RPR are positive. In Lyme disease the VDRL and RPR are generally negative.

Patients with very early stage Lyme disease may test negative, because IgM antibodies may not have reached detectable levels.

Antibiotic therapy given early in the disease may prevent the development of an antibody response.

All test results must be considered in conjunction with the clinical picture presented by the patient.

Uncertainty of Measurement

Not applicable as reporting of results for both IgG and IgM assays is qualitative.

References

EUROIMMUNE EUROLINE B. burgdorferi IgG and IgM IFUs

Contact Information