Interpretation of the Western blot test in the diagnosis of Lyme disease
| Antibody | Antigen (molecular mass) | Positive test |
|---|---|---|
| Immunoglobulin M | OspC (24 kDa)a | 2 of 3 bands |
| BmpA (39 kDa) | ||
| Fla (41 kDa) | ||
| Immunoglobulin G | OspC (18, 21 kDa)b | 5 of 10 bands |
| BmpA (28, 30, 39 kDa) | ||
| Fla (41, 45, 58, 66, 93 kDa) |
↵a The apparent molecular mass of OspC depends on the strain of Borrelia burgdorferi being tested. The 24 and 21 kDa proteins are the same.
Based on information in reference 16.