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B. burgdorferi culture in Lyme Disease

B. burgdorferi culture, also described as Gold standard — rarely used, is a molecular marker with mixed findings in Lyme Disease (Lyme borreliosis, Borrelia burgdorferi infection): studies comparing patients with Uninfected report both increases and decreases. Clinically, it has been associated with low yield from blood. The finding is drawn from Lantos et al. 2021; it describes group-level differences, not a threshold that classifies an individual.

↕ InconsistentMolecular

Summary

Direction in Lyme Disease↕ Inconsistent — reported as both higher and lower across studies, with no consistent direction
CategoryMolecular
Also described asGold standard — rarely used
Compared againstUninfected
Associated symptomsLow yield from blood
Test typeClinical or physiological test
SourceLantos et al. 2021 — doi:10.1016/j.idc.2021.05.001
Condition atlasLyme Disease Biomarker Atlas

Related Molecular markers in Lyme Disease

Full list: Lyme Disease Biomarker Atlas.

Frequently asked questions

Is B. burgdorferi culture high or low in Lyme Disease?

Mixed. Some studies report higher and others lower B. burgdorferi culture in Lyme Disease compared with Uninfected, so no single direction is established. Source: Lantos et al. 2021.

What symptoms is B. burgdorferi culture associated with in Lyme Disease?

The cited literature associates this marker with Low yield from blood. These are population-level associations and do not mean the marker causes the symptoms.

Which test measures B. burgdorferi culture?

It is measured as a clinical or physiological test. Many of the cited studies used research-grade assays, so clinical availability may vary.

Is one abnormal B. burgdorferi culture result diagnostic of Lyme Disease?

No. No single biomarker is diagnostic of Lyme Disease. B. burgdorferi culture findings come from group comparisons, overlap considerably between patients and controls, and vary with study design, timing and comparison group. A result should be interpreted by a clinician alongside symptoms, history and other tests.

Cite this page

Open Source Medicine Foundation. (2026). B. burgdorferi culture in Lyme Disease: direction, evidence and what it means. OSMF Research Tracker. Retrieved October 7, 2026, from https://research.opensourcemed.info/biomarkers/lyme/b-burgdorferi-culture.html
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Last reviewed: 2026-06-29 · Page generated from lyme.json · Browse: Lyme Disease atlas · Biomarker Index · All marker pages

Disclaimer: This page is an educational synthesis of published, peer-reviewed research and is not medical advice. Biomarker findings vary across studies with case definitions, comparison groups, timing and assay methods. Direction of change reflects the predominant finding in the cited source and does not establish a diagnostic threshold. Discuss any test result with a qualified clinician.