Guidelines for Lyme borreliosis: Diagnostic strategies - 16/12/25

Highlights |
• | Serologic testing is indicated only for suspected disseminated Lyme borreliosis; erythema migrans remains a clinical diagnosis. |
• | The recommended two-tiered strategy includes ELISA screening followed by immunoblot confirmation for positive or equivocal results. |
• | Intrathecal antibody synthesis (IAS) is essential for Lyme neuroborreliosis diagnosis, but IAS without pleocytosis suggests other causes. |
• | Serologic interpretation must consider clinical context: IgG may remain for years after recovery; isolated IgM >6 weeks is likely false positive. |
• | PCR, CXCL13, and novel molecular tools show promise but remain supplementary or experimental pending standardization. |
Abstract |
The diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis (LB) relies primarily on clinical evaluation supported by appropriate serologic testing in selected cases. Serology is recommended only in suspected disseminated LB, characterized by compatible clinical signs and history of tick exposure. In early localized disease such as erythema migrans, laboratory testing is unnecessary due to low sensitivity and the reliability of clinical diagnosis. A two-tiered testing algorithm remains the standard: enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) followed by immunoblot confirmation when ELISA results are positive or equivocal. For patients with symptoms lasting less than six weeks and negative initial results, serology should be repeated after three weeks. Only IgG are considered to confirm LB diagnosis. Intrathecal antibody synthesis is critical for diagnosing Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB), achieving > 99 % sensitivity after 6–8 weeks, although isolated antibody index elevation without pleocytosis suggests alternative etiologies. Interpretation of serology must always consider clinical context: IgG may remain for years after recovery, and isolated IgM beyond six weeks typically represents a false positive. Serologic limitations include low sensitivity in early disease and cross-reactivity, particularly for IgM. PCR may aid diagnosis from synovial fluid or skin lesions but is rarely informative for cerebrospinal fluid. Emerging biomarkers such as CXCL13 and advanced molecular approaches remain experimental and require further validation.
Le texte complet de cet article est disponible en PDF.Keywords : Lyme borreliosis, Serology, CXCL13, PCR, Intrathecal borrelial antibody synthesis
Plan
Vol 55 - N° 8S
Article 105203- décembre 2025 Retour au numéroBienvenue sur EM-consulte, la référence des professionnels de santé.
