New test for early detection of Lyme disease developed

As part of the EU “ID Lyme” project, an infection immunology team is working on developing of a new test for early detection of Lyme disease (borreliosis). This will improve the ability to detect an active infection more easily than before so that healthy people with Lyme disease antibodies in their blood do not receive unnecessary antibiotic treatment and so that appropriate treatments can be initiated at an early stage. The antibody tests that are currently available only provide a reliable result 3 – 4 weeks after infection has occurred.