do elisa and western blot test always pick up lyme

uremia due to renal failure) or exogenous toxins (e.g. Other disorders that might be considered, based on the history and presentation, may include: diabetes, vitamin deficiency, accumulation of endogenous toxins (e.g. The symptoms and immune-mediated mechanisms of peripheral neuropathy are not specific to Lyme disease, and must be understood within the broader clinical picture. Some possibilities include: direct assault on the nerve fibers by spirochetes during periods of active infection immune-mediated damage to the nerve fibers or their protective myelin sheaths by the host's own innate (killer T-cell mediated) or adaptive (memory B- or T-cell mediated) immune system or production of antibodies with accumulation of immune-complexes that disrupt the small vessels that supply oxygen and nutrients to the metabolically-active peripheral nerves. The precise mechanisms by which these nerve fibers are damaged in Lyme disease remains a subject of active investigation. Involvement of the cranial nerves can lead to blurry vision, double vision, facial droop, loss of balance, or tinnitus (ringing in the ears).

Pathology of the small nerve fibers can also disrupt autonomic functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, and gastrointestinal functions. These symptoms are often caused by malfunctioning of small 'A-delta fibers' and 'C fibers' that carry pain and temperature signals. Common symptoms of Lyme-related neuropathy include multi-site 'neuropathic pain' (described as a 'burning' or 'stabbing' sensation), spinal or radicular pain, distal paresthesias (e.g., numbness, tingling), sensory loss, weakness and hyporeflexia. Yes, patients with Lyme disease may develop 'peripheral neuropathy' - a dysfunction of the nerves that transmit electrical signals between the body's periphery and the spinal cord and brain.

This is because the tick is small and can fall off without the person realizing they have been bitten or because the tick bite occurred in an area of the body that is not readily visible. Just as everyone who is bitten does not come down with Lyme disease, not everyone who has Lyme disease recalls being bitten by a tick. The University of Rhode Island 'TickEncounter' website has extensive information about tick identification as well as about labs that test ticks. Testing ticks to see if they are infected is not routinely done but if you live in a Lyme endemic area, check with your local or state health departments to see if they conducted PCR testing on submitted ticks. Because the risk of infection transmission also depends on the infection rate in ticks in the area where the bite occurred, not all tick bites place a person at risk of getting Lyme or other tick-borne diseases. It is possible that if you are bitten by a tick that had a partial blood meal prior to biting you, transmission of the Lyme disease microbe may occur even if the duration of attachment is less than 24 hours. However, some microbes can be transmitted in less than an hour (e.g., Powassan Virus). Generally if a tick is removed within 24 hours, it is quite unlikely that a Borrelia burgdorferi spirochete will be transmitted. It is important to remove the tick as soon as possible after attachment, as rapid removal reduces the likelihood of transmission of a tick-borne microbe. In most cases, it takes from three to 30 days after being bitten by a tick to develop the initial symptoms of Lyme disease.

Do elisa and western blot test always pick up lyme