Borreliosis is a serious enough infectious disease. The disease is caused by germs of spirochetes, which are also called Borrelia. Transfer Borrelia iksodovyh pliers . They stick to the skin and in the process of sucking they start saliva infected with the causative agent of the infection. Once under the skin, borellias begin to multiply intensely at the site of the bite and then through the blood are carried around the body, affecting primarily the brain and spinal cord, the heart muscle, and large joints.
Features of the disease
The trouble with the appearance of such a disease is that the causative agents of the spirochaete can "hide" in the capsules they have formed and exist in the body for several decades, letting them know about themselves from time to time, that is, the disease becomes chronic. There is an opinion that it is quite difficult to completely cure this disease.
When infection with infectious microbes on the skin appears characteristic reddening in the form of a stain and a reddish ring around it with a lumen of normal skin color. Ring with time grows from 1 to 10 cm, or even more. In medicine, this is called migratory annular erythema.
When to take a blood test for borreliosis?
The disease usually begins to develop 7 days after contact with the tick, the duration of active development is in the range from 3 to 33 days. If the first signs of infection with spirochaetes are found, it is advisable to submit an analysis for tick-borne borreliosis in order to obtain confirmation of the alleged diagnosis. Doctors recommend taking the test within 2 to 4 weeks after possible infection.
How is the blood test for tick-borne borreliosis?
Blood is taken from the vein, then it is placed in an empty test tube, sometimes tubes with a special gel are used. The aim of the analysis is to identify immunoglobulins of protective proteins of M and G class, which are produced by the body in order to protect against the borreliosis virus.
Explanation of the blood test for borreliosis
In order to confirm the diagnosis of the disease, a serological study is done. It is based on the detection of antibodies to microbes in
If Ig M antibodies in the analysis are:
- less than 0.8 U / ml - this means that the result is negative, that is, a person is not infected;
- from 0,8 to 1,1 U / ml - the result is doubtful, then the analysis is taken repeatedly;
- equal to or greater than 1.1 U / ml - the result is positive, that is, there is an infection in the body.