alÂ·kaÂ·line. adj. 1. Of, relating to, or containing an alkali. 2. a. Having a pH greater than 7. b. Having a relatively low concentration of hydrogen ions. 3.
Test Overview. A Lyme disease test detects antibodies to the Lyme disease bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi in the blood. Lyme disease bacteria are spread by certain kinds of ticks. Lyme disease can be hard to diagnose because its symptoms are similar to those of many other illnesses.
Myth: A Blood Test Is The Best Way To Diagnose Lyme Disease. Fact: It depends on how long after a tick bite we're talking about, says Mead. The most widely-used test for Lyme disease doesn't test for the organism itself, but for antibodies that your immune system makes, he says.