Lyme disease can lead to a host of different health issues, and many people may contract the bacterial infection without even knowing it. The first initial symptoms of Lyme disease are non-specific, so people may often brush them off as a minor flu or other illness. But for people who have been out in wooded areas, ignoring the symptoms of Lyme could be a big mistake – untreated Lyme disease wreaks havoc on the body and can cause permanent damage to joints, nerves, and organs.
Because of this, getting tested for a Lyme disease infection is crucial if you suspect that you may have been bitten by an infected tick. This is especially true if you believe that the tick has been attached to you for a long period of time. Typically, it takes around 36–48 hours for the transmission of the borrelia bacteria to occur, so if you find a tick attached to you and it has been several days since you were in a potentially affected area, contact your doctor to get tested.
One Lyme disease test that may be available to you is a PCR test. But what is Lyme disease PCR testing, and what does a Lyme PCR test tell you?
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