Diagnosing Lyme disease (Lyme borreliosis) is difficult even for experienced physicians. Diagnosis is complicated by the fact that there is no clear laboratory method to support the specialist’s decision, and the symptoms are not always clear. The following factors contribute to delays in diagnosis and treatment:
- diagnostic methods do not provide clear positive results in the early stages of the disease
- the interpretation of current methods is not uniform and often does not take into account the specific characteristics of the disease
- in most cases, the “victim” does not even notice the tick bite that causes Lyme disease
- the onset of symptoms is not necessarily linked to relevant events, and the characteristic fluctuation of symptoms can be misleading
- There is no adequate diagnostic procedure to monitor the effectiveness of treatment.
- the symptoms are not properly documented, and the patient is not questioned in a manner specific to the needs of this disease
- The immune system’s response may be inhibited, and tests based on this may give false negative results.
- the only clear symptom, skin inflammation around the tick bite, develops (or is noticed) in one-third of patients
- there are no clear guidelines for specialists
- the prevalence of Lyme disease is underestimated, so doctors are less likely to suspect it than its actual incidence
- During treatment, the patient’s condition fluctuates, making it difficult to determine whether the treatment is actually effective.
- the symptoms of Lyme borreliosis are general and may be similar to those of infections or autoimmune diseases
- Symptoms may be delayed for years or remain mild, and the causes of their sudden appearance may be misleading.
For a proper diagnosis, it is necessary to consider:
- the typical circular skin inflammation (ECM) around the tick bite, which may even go unnoticed, is in itself clear evidence of infection
- test methods based on the immune system’s response provide an excellent picture of the body’s defences, antibody fluctuations and the pathogen strain
- Negative serology or other tests examining the immune response (ELISA, Western blot, Immunoblot, LTT, EliSpot, etc.) do not necessarily mean that there is no infection.
- Direct detection of the pathogen, if successful, is clear evidence of infection, but treatment of the disease must still be decided by a specialist.
- When assessing symptoms, it is very important to use the appropriate questionnaire; only trust a comprehensive assessment carried out by a doctor.
- Symptom lists available on internet portals are not suitable for “self-diagnosis”, but at most for raising suspicion.