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.
How Lyme Disease is Diagnosed. Lyme disease is a clinical diagnosis made by a doctor or nurse examining the patient. Early Lyme is not a laboratory diagnosis: a negative Lyme blood test doesnât rule out Lyme in the first few weeks of the illness. Also, 20% of people have no rash, only a âflu likeâ illness.