Antibodies Against Borrelia burgdorferi IgM + IgG Present in Antigen-Bound Form in Circulating Immune Complexes (CIC)

It may occur that the presence of IgG and/or IgM class antibodies cannot be detected in ELISA or Western Blot tests despite an ongoing infection. This may be due to the antibodies being bound in so-called circulating immune complexes (CICs).

Immune complexes are physiological structures that form in the body as a result of the binding of antibodies to a foreign molecule (antigen). An excess of immune complexes, consisting of Borrelia burgdorferi antigens and specific antibodies against them, may prevent their detection using serological methods. The presence of such complexes in peripheral blood indicates an active form of the disease. Detection of antibodies present in immune complexes is possible after they have been released from these complexes through the use of appropriate chemical reagents.

It is possible to perform a test for the presence of antibodies bound in CICs in both IgG and IgM classes. IgG/IgM antibodies can indicate whether Lyme disease is an active infection or completely rule out its presence in the body.

Purpose of the test:

• To exclude or confirm active Lyme disease in cases of negative results from routine serological tests for antibodies specific to Borrelia species antigens.
• To determine the specificity of antibodies produced during the infection, bound in immune complexes due to an excess of antigen.

When to perform the test:

In cases of diagnostic difficulties with Lyme disease and negative results from routine serological tests, and when other types of tests fail.

Testing Method:

Western Blot

High specificity: 99.4% for IgG class, 100% for IgM class.

Professional Testing. Lyme Disease (IgG/IgM) based on the presence of pathogens.

Diagnosis using tests performed with the Western Blot method is a highly specific confirmation test for diagnosing Lyme disease. It is based on the immunological reaction of antibodies in the patient's peripheral blood with high-specificity recombinant protein antigens coated onto a nitrocellulose membrane, characteristic of Borrelia spirochetes: OspC, OspA, p100, p18, VIsE, p58, p41, p39, p18.

NOTE: The material for the test can be collected at the Borlamed laboratory collection point located at Giuseppe Garibaldi 4, suite 12A, Warsaw!