As summer approaches, cases of Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) are on the rise. Lyme disease (LD) is the most common TBD and is generally cured with antibiotic treatment. Testing relies on detecting a patient’s immune response to infection. However, diagnosis of LD can be challenging. Optimal diagnostic accuracy of LD can be achieved by combining two separate antibody tests with consideration of a patient’s symptoms and tick exposure.
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Allergy testing identifies common allergens including foods and inhalation that are often harmless but may cause allergies in some patients. There are two main allergy testing methods, skin-prick and blood tests, that can assess the presence of allergen-specific IgE antibodies. Combining an IgE-antibody blood test result with case history and a physical examination has clear clinical advantages when making a diagnosis.