Lyme testing for individuals who have traveled outside of U.S.
Borrelia burgdorferi and Borrelia mayonii are the primary bacteria that cause Lyme Disease in the United States. Two other strains, Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii, are the primary causes of Lyme disease in Europe and Asia. In a recent “Hot Topic” from the Mayo Clinic’s Dr. Elli Theel, a recommendation of using European immunoblots was recommended for individuals traveling outside the United States. Wisconsin-based Coppe Laboratories is the only commercial reference laboratory in the U.S. that currently uses European immunoblots to detect multiple genospecies of Borrelia including B. burgdorferi, B. afzelii, B. garinii, and B. miyamotoi. Testing is recommended 4-6 weeks after a tick bite.