*The Lyme Disease Biobank (LDB) enrolls participants with signs and symptoms of early Lyme disease (LD) from endemic areas. Over 2014 to 2023, 466 cases and 367 controls were enrolled.n Central Wisconsin.
*253 LDB participants who provided samples from an initial and a convalescent blood draw.
*Blood testing used typical USA testing. The blot tests were interpreted using CDC criteria.
Results:
*At the first draw, 34% of samples from participants presenting with [a bulls-eye rash] or erythema migrans (EM) > 5 cm were positive by CDC’s standard two tiered testing.
*IgG positives were rare (only 4%)
*When tested again 22% reported ongoing symptoms; the most common being joint pain, fatigue, and muscle pain.
*[Only] 35% of participants with ongoing symptoms reported seeing their provider about their symptoms.
Conclusion:
*Lyme disease blood tests are rarely positive after antibiotics.
*Yet 22% initially prescribed antibiotics reported ongoing Lyme disease symptoms.
*When patients are given common antibiotics and 1/3 are still suffering but never discussed their ongoing symptoms with their doctor.
Horn EJ, Dempsey G, Schotthoefer AM, McArdle M, Weber AF, De Luca C, Pritt BS and Maloney EL (2025) Lyme Disease Biobank: 10 years of 3 month follow-up visits from 2014 to 2023. Front. Med. 12:1577936. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2025.1577936