How Lyme testing works

Lyma follows the two-tier approach in NICE guideline NG95 and HSE guidance. Every sample goes to ArminLabs, an accredited lab in Germany.

1. 1

   First, a screen (ELISA)

   Checks for IgM and IgG antibodies to the Lyme bacteria.
2. 2

   Borderline or Detected? Confirm it

   An immunoblot on the same sample checks for antibodies to specific Lyme proteins. Nothing extra for you to do.
3. 3

   Not detected but early? Repeat it

   If your sample was taken within 4 weeks of symptoms starting, a second test 4 to 6 weeks later can give a clearer answer.

Why the calendar matters

• Day 0: the bite. Remove the tick, photograph it and log where you were. No test yet.
• Weeks 1 to 4: watch for a rash. A spreading red rash means book a doctor's visit; it can be diagnosed on sight.
• From week 4: if symptoms appear, an antibody test is more likely to give a true answer.
• Week 12 and on: still unwell? A doctor can order a confirmatory test or look for other causes.

A clinician reads every result alongside your symptoms. Results can be wrong both ways, which is why no result is released without a clinician note.