Health Tests · Labcorp OnDemand
Lyme Disease Antibody Test ($99)
$99 · no doctor visit needed
- Order online, walk into 2,000+ locations — no appointment
- Physician order included — no doctor visit required
- Results in your portal in days
Same certified lab your doctor uses. HSA/FSA accepted.
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Order online ($99), walk into any of 2,000+ Labcorp locations for the blood draw — no doctor's visit needed. Tests for Borrelia antibodies (IgM/IgG). Most informative 4–6 weeks after a tick bite.
The short version
$99, one walk-in visit, results in days
The Lyme Disease Antibody Test ($99) screens for antibodies your immune system makes against Borrelia bacteria. Order online, walk in for the draw, results in days. Timing matters: antibodies take 2–6 weeks to appear, so testing is most useful a month after exposure.
We may earn a commission if you order through links on this page.
Price
| Test | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| Lyme Disease Antibody Test | $99 | Order now → |
Prices checked Oct 9, 2026. HSA/FSA eligible. Self-pay; insurance not billed.
The two-step testing process
Standard Lyme testing is sequential:
- Step 1: ELISA or EIA — a sensitive screening test for Borrelia antibodies. If negative and suspicion is low, testing usually stops here.
- Step 2: immunoblot (Western blot) — run only if step 1 is positive or borderline; it checks reactivity against specific bacterial proteins and is more specific.
This two-tier approach exists because single antibody tests cross-react with other conditions.
Why early testing misleads
Antibodies take 2–6 weeks to reach detectable levels. Test in the first days after a bite and a negative result means almost nothing — the immune response has not happened yet. This is the most common misunderstanding about Lyme testing: early negatives do not rule out infection.
The bullseye rash shortcut
Erythema migrans — the expanding red rash, sometimes with central clearing — appears in most Lyme cases and is considered diagnostic by itself. Guidelines recommend treating on the rash alone without waiting for serology. No direct-access test changes that.
Limits and controversies
Antibodies persist for years after treated infection, so a positive test cannot distinguish active from past Lyme — a real problem in high-tick areas where many people have old positives. Unvalidated “chronic Lyme” panels sold by specialty labs are not recommended by infectious-disease guidelines. If symptoms persist after treatment, see an infectious-disease specialist rather than ordering more exotic tests.
Early Lyme is highly treatable with a short course of doxycycline, but delayed treatment raises the risk of joint, heart, and neurologic complications. When in doubt after a bite, call your doctor promptly.
Common questions
How soon after a tick bite can I test?
Antibody tests are most informative 4–6 weeks after the bite. Earlier testing is likely to be falsely negative.
Can I test the tick itself?
Tick testing is available but not recommended for medical decisions — a positive tick does not mean transmission occurred, and a negative tick does not guarantee safety. Watch for symptoms instead.
Does a positive test mean I need antibiotics?
Not necessarily — old treated infections stay positive for years. Whether to treat depends on symptoms, timing, and exam, decided with your doctor.
What about “chronic Lyme” test panels?
Specialty labs sell expanded panels, but infectious-disease guidelines do not validate them for diagnosing ongoing infection. Persistent symptoms after treatment deserve specialist evaluation, not more unvalidated testing.
Ready to order?
Get tested this week
Order the Lyme Disease Antibody Test ($99) and walk in this week — no doctor visit required.