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September 08, 2025

Tickborne Panels: Advanced Testing for Lyme Disease and Co-Infections

Tickborne Complete Panels go beyond standard Lyme tests, using PCR and immunochip technology to detect Lyme disease, co-infections, and viral reactivations earlier and more accurately.

Tickborne Panels: Comprehensive Testing for Lyme Disease, Co-Infections, and Beyond

Tickborne diseases are rising at an alarming rate in the United States and worldwide. According to recent epidemiological data, these infections have more than doubled in the past 13 years and now account for 77% of all vector-borne disease reports, with Lyme disease representing 82% of all cases. Because symptoms often mimic other conditions, and standard diagnostic tests frequently miss infections, advanced tickborne panels such as the Tickborne Complete 1.0 and Tickborne Complete 2.0 were developed to provide a far more accurate, sensitive, and comprehensive evaluation.

In this article, we’ll break down what these panels are, how they work, why they matter, and how they can transform patient outcomes.

Why Standard Tickborne Testing Falls Short

Traditional CDC-recommended testing for Lyme disease relies on a two-tier approach using ELISA and Western blot. While widely used, these tests have major limitations:

  • Sensitivity for early Lyme disease can be as low as 30–40%.

  • Even in disseminated Lyme disease, sensitivity varies between 70–100% depending on stage.

  • These tests often fail to capture the diverse species of Borrelia and co-infections present in different geographic regions.

  • False negatives are common, especially in the early stage of infection when antibody levels are low.

  • ELISA/Western blot can miss up to 60% of well-defined Lyme cases.

This means many patients either go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, often until later in the disease course when complications are more severe.

Introducing the Tickborne Complete Panels

The Tickborne Complete Panels were designed to overcome these diagnostic gaps by combining direct DNA detection (PCR) and advanced antibody detection (IgG & IgM) using state-of-the-art immunochip and chemiluminescence technology.

Tickborne Complete 1.0

  • Tests 121 analytes.

  • Covers 40 IgG and 40 IgM antigens of Borrelia species.

  • Includes 15 antigens of co-infection species (Babesia, Bartonella, Anaplasma, Ehrlichia).

  • Adds 26 PCR results for direct detection of Borrelia and co-infections.

  • Provides both early and disseminated detection with superior accuracy compared to standard two-tiered testing.

Tickborne Complete 2.0

  • Tests everything in 1.0, plus expanded coverage:

    • Rickettsia spp.

    • Tickborne encephalitis virus (TBEV)

    • Mycoplasma pneumoniae

    • Powassan virus

    • Opportunistic infections such as EBV, CMV, West Nile, Toxoplasma, Parvovirus, HSV, and more.

  • Includes 10 additional PCR targets for greater direct detection capability.

  • Thorough assessment for reactivated or opportunistic infections that complicate tickborne illness.

Advanced Detection Technology

What makes these panels unique is the technology platform behind them:

  • Chemiluminescence-based immunoassays: Detect antibodies at much lower concentrations than ELISA.

  • Enhanced IgM sensitivity: Removes interfering IgG proteins and rheumatoid factors, improving early-stage detection.

  • Multiplex PCR with multiple target genes: Allows for earlier, more accurate detection of diverse pathogens, including those that form biofilms.

  • Silicon immunochip: Enables testing of a large number of antigens simultaneously with high reproducibility and cost-effectiveness.

  • Accuracy: Published data shows 97.6% sensitivity and 95.2% specificity for Lyme disease when using alternate diagnostic criteria.

Which Patients Benefit From Testing?

Tickborne Complete panels should be considered for patients who:

  • Have had a recent tick bite, fever, flu-like symptoms, or erythema migrans rash.

  • Experience musculoskeletal pain, migrating joint or muscle aches.

  • Show neurological symptoms such as dizziness, Bell’s palsy, numbness, or tingling.

  • Develop cardiac manifestations (arrhythmia, palpitations, myocarditis).

  • Experience relapsing fevers or unexplained fatigue.

  • Score high on the Horowitz MSIDS questionnaire.

  • Show signs of co-infections (Babesia, Bartonella, Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, Rickettsia, etc.).

  • Have lived in or traveled to Lyme-endemic regions.

  • Suffer from chronic or reactivated viral infections (EBV, CMV, HHV-6, HHV-7, HSV) complicating their illness.

Symptoms of Tickborne Disease

Tickborne infections are called “the great imitators” because their symptoms often mimic autoimmune disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and even psychiatric disorders.
Common symptoms include:

  • Fever, chills, fatigue

  • Headache, stiff neck, dizziness

  • Bell’s palsy, neuropathy, tingling

  • Joint and muscle pain

  • GI upset (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea)

  • Weight loss, anemia

  • Swollen lymph nodes

  • Rash or painful abdomen

  • Shortness of breath

  • Cognitive decline or mood changes

Functional & Integrative Approaches

While antibiotics remain the standard conventional treatment, functional medicine expands the focus to immune resilience, gut health, detoxification, and mitochondrial support. At Revolution Health, we often combine:

  • Gut Zoomer testing to evaluate microbiome imbalances and intestinal permeability often worsened by prolonged antibiotic use.

  • Mycotoxin testing when symptoms overlap between mold exposure and tickborne illness.

  • Neural Zoomer when neurological antibodies suggest ongoing neuroinflammation.

  • Nutritional & supplement support such as Omega-3s, Immunoglobulin G (Immuno-30), probiotics, curcumin, and mitochondrial support nutrients.

The Bottom Line

Tickborne diseases are increasing in prevalence and often go undiagnosed with standard tests. The Tickborne Complete 1.0 and 2.0 panels provide the most advanced, comprehensive diagnostic approach available, offering both direct DNA detection and sensitive antibody testing across a wide spectrum of pathogens.

For patients suffering from unexplained chronic symptoms, early and accurate detection can mean the difference between years of suffering and a path back to health.