Rosenheimer Str. 6-8, 83043 Bad Aibling, Germany · info@clinicum-stgeorg.de
Diagnosis
Accurate diagnosis is the foundation of effective treatment. Our comprehensive diagnostic approach uses advanced laboratory testing and thorough clinical evaluation to uncover what standard tests miss.
You remember the bite, or you do not. You remember the summer everything changed. Since then: a rheumatologist, a neurologist, a psychiatrist, and a two-tier test that came back negative twice. In a drawer at home is a folder of results that do not add up to anything.
This page explains why that test misses what it misses, and what we measure instead.
Many patients who come to us have been symptomatic for months or years without a clear diagnosis. If you experience a combination of the following symptoms, especially if they began after a known or possible tick exposure, advanced Lyme testing should be considered:
The conventional two-tier testing approach has significant limitations that leave the majority of chronic Lyme patients without a proper diagnosis.
The standard diagnostic protocol requires a positive ELISA screening test before a Western Blot confirmation is performed. This two-tier system was designed for epidemiological surveillance, not individual patient diagnosis. Its sensitivity for chronic or late-stage Lyme disease is estimated at only 50-60%, meaning nearly half of infected patients receive false-negative results.
Several factors contribute to this failure:
The consequences of relying solely on standard testing are severe. Patients with active chronic infections are told they do not have Lyme disease. They are given alternative diagnoses, prescribed symptom-management medications, and often told their symptoms are psychological.
This diagnostic failure leads to:
At St. George Hospital, we believe that no patient should be dismissed because of a test limitation. Clinical evaluation must always accompany laboratory results.
Our diagnostic approach combines comprehensive clinical evaluation with advanced laboratory testing to build a complete picture of each patient’s infection status, immune function, and systemic involvement.
Detailed review of symptom onset, progression, tick exposure history, prior testing results, previous treatments, and response to antibiotics. We assess the full timeline and pattern of illness to identify characteristic Lyme disease features.
Thorough physical examination with specific attention to neurological function, joint involvement, cardiac assessment, and signs of autonomic dysfunction. We evaluate for clinical markers of active infection and systemic inflammation.
We utilize multiple testing methodologies beyond standard ELISA and Western Blot, including Borrelia ELISpot (cellular immune response), specialized Western Blot with expanded band analysis, and when indicated, direct detection methods. These tests measure the cellular immune response to Borrelia, which remains active even when antibody levels decline.
CD57+ NK cell levels are characteristically low in chronic Lyme disease and serve as both a diagnostic marker and a treatment response indicator. Serial CD57 measurements help us track treatment progress over time.
Comprehensive testing for common tick-borne co-infections including Bartonella, Babesia, Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, Rickettsia, Chlamydia pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and Yersinia. Co-infections are present in an estimated 50-80% of chronic Lyme patients and require specific, targeted treatment.
Evaluation of immune system markers including lymphocyte subsets, cytokine profiles, complement levels, and immunoglobulin levels to assess the degree of immune dysregulation and guide immunomodulatory treatment decisions.
Additional testing as clinically indicated, including inflammatory markers (CRP, ESR, cytokines), thyroid function, adrenal function, hormonal panels, micronutrient levels, liver and kidney function, and heavy metal screening to evaluate the full systemic impact of chronic infection.
Lyme disease remains a clinical diagnosis supported by laboratory testing, not a laboratory diagnosis alone. No single test can definitively confirm or rule out chronic Borrelia infection. Our physicians integrate the full clinical picture, patient history, symptom pattern, physical examination findings, and results from multiple laboratory tests, to arrive at a diagnosis and treatment plan.
We take every patient’s symptoms seriously. If you have been told that your tests are negative but your symptoms persist, we encourage you to seek a comprehensive evaluation. Many of our most successful treatment outcomes begin with patients who were previously told they did not have Lyme disease.
Commonly used in conventional medical settings:
Comprehensive approach used at St. George Hospital:
Published research consistently demonstrates the inadequacy of standard Lyme testing for chronic disease. Key findings include:
Our diagnostic approach reflects the current understanding of Borrelia biology and the well-documented limitations of standard serological testing.
A typical diagnostic evaluation at St. George Hospital includes:
When diagnostics reveal elevated inflammatory markers and microclots, apheresis directly filters these from the bloodstream.
What H.E.L.P. apheresis involves →Diagnostic identification of persistent Borrelia and co-infections guides hyperthermia protocols targeting heat-sensitive organisms.
What a whole-body hyperthermia session involves →Immune panel results inform ozone therapy protocols that enhance immune function and provide antimicrobial support.
What ozone therapy involves →NK cell activity and lymphocyte subset results guide targeted immune restoration therapy for Lyme patients.
What immune therapy involves →A video consultation in English before you travel. A physician reviews your findings first; we reply by email within one business day (Mon–Fri).
Mon–Thu 08:00–17:00, Fri 08:00–14:00 (CET/CEST)+49 8061 398-0info@clinicum-stgeorg.de
St. George Hospital is a specialist hospital, not an emergency department. In a medical emergency in Germany, dial 112.
