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Can you test positive for Lyme disease even after a course of antibiotics?

This Premium Q&A, reviewed and published, features a real conversation between an iCliniq user and a physician.

Patient's Query

Hi doctor,

My 26-year-old daughter had a tick bite and tested positive for Lyme disease this summer. She took a month-long round of Doxycycline. She re-tested last week, and she was still testing positive for Lyme antibodies on the Western blot test. Her first antibody test was 1.91 antibodies. The recent test was 7.34.

Her general care cannot tell us what the significance of the test results are. He recommends taking another cycle of oral Doxycycline, and he has referred her to an infectious disease doctor, who has yet to call her back after two weeks. Do you have any recommendations for her? As a mother, I am concerned because I realize that Lyme is a very serious disease.

Answered by Dr. Penchilaprasad Kandikattu

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Penchilaprasad Kandikattu is a General Practitioner with 15 years of clinical experience. He pursued his MBBS from Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences, Andhra Pradesh, and MD in General Medicine from Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Karnataka. He is specialized in treating acute and chronic illnesses and provides preventive care and health education to patients. Currently, he is working at Sri Sai Hospital, Mancherial, Telangana.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

There is no need to take one more antibiotics course because Lyme disease antibodies may stay in the body for years. Only antibody detection is not confirmatory for diagnosis. Few false-positives may be seen in viral fevers, autoimmune diseases, and viral infections. So if the patient develops any symptoms like fever, body pain, icterus, or generalized weakness, then there is a need to take antibiotics. So please consult your physician. He will examine and treat you accordingly.

Take care.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Sneha Kannan
Published At February 8, 2021
Reviewed At September 4, 2023

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Penchilaprasad Kandikattu is a General Practitioner with 15 years of clinical experience. He pursued his MBBS from Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences, Andhra Pradesh, and MD in General Medicine from Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Karnataka. He is specialized in treating acute and chronic illnesses and provides preventive care and health education to patients. Currently, he is working at Sri Sai Hospital, Mancherial, Telangana.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Education:

BDS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Sneha Kannan is a skilled Dental Surgeon with expertise in providing general dental care, including scaling, fillings, and preventive treatments. She does oral surgery procedures such as extractions and minor surgical interventions. She does procedures in restorative dentistry, including crowns, bridges, and dentures. She is an expert in doing endodontic treatments such as root canal therapy. She is well-versed in doing procedures in cosmetic dentistry, including teeth whitening and smile correction. She can provide pediatric dental care for children’s oral health and preventive treatments. She promotes oral hygiene awareness and preventive dental practices.  

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Penchilaprasad Kandikattu is a General Practitioner with 15 years of clinical experience. He pursued his MBBS from Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences, Andhra Pradesh, and MD in General Medicine from Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Karnataka. He is specialized in treating acute and chronic illnesses and provides preventive care and health education to patients. Currently, he is working at Sri Sai Hospital, Mancherial, Telangana.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

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