Synonyms:  Borrelia burgdorferi Antibodies; Ixodes Tick Bite Agent Why It Is Done • Help confirm a diagnosis of Lyme disease. • Monitor treatment • Confirm a diagnosis of Lyme disease                                                                                Test Overview Lyme disease, spread by certain kinds of ticks, may be difficult to diagnose because its symptoms are similar to those of many other illnesses. If Lyme disease is suspected, a careful medical history and physical examination should be done. It may take up to 2 months after becoming infected before antibodies can be detected in a blood test. Once formed, antibodies usually persist for many years, even after successful treatment of the disease. Finding antibodies to the Lyme disease bacteria does not indicate whether you were infected recently or sometime in the past. How To Prepare There is no special preparation for this test.