• Tick exposure: recent tick bite or time spent in tick-endemic environments.
• Flu-like symptoms: fever, chills or malaise following outdoor exposure.
• Erythema migrans-type rash: expanding or unusual skin redness after a tick bite.
• Joint symptoms: intermittent pain or stiffness potentially associated with tick exposure.
• Neurological concerns: headache, altered sensation or cognitive difficulty post-exposure.
• Fatigue: persistent tiredness following suspected contact with ticks.
• Muscle aches: diffuse or localised discomfort after outdoor activity.
• Cardiac symptoms: palpitations or chest discomfort occurring after exposure.
• History of tick-borne illness: reviewing patterns after previous infection.
• Follow-up assessment: evaluating IgM or IgG patterns after known or suspected exposure.

Overview

The Borrelia IgG and IgM (EIA) test measures serum antibodies directed against Borrelia burgdorferi and related species using an enzyme immunoassay method. IgM antibodies may reflect more recent exposure, whereas IgG antibodies may relate to past contact or longer-standing immune recognition. This panel offers insight into humoral immune activity following tick exposure and may complement cellular immune assessments such as ELISpot.

This assessment may relate to symptoms such as fever-like illness, rashes, joint discomfort, neurological symptoms, muscle aches, cardiac changes, fatigue or other concerns that arise after time in tick-endemic environments. It can also support practitioners when evaluating the timing or likelihood of Borrelia exposure where symptom patterns are unclear.

Practitioners typically interpret these results alongside exposure history, symptom chronology, outdoor activity, lifestyle factors, previous laboratory findings and information shared by clients. This supports a broader understanding of how antibody patterns may align with reported symptoms following tick contact.

Practical

Serum/SST

This sample requires a blood draw