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Diagnosis

The diagnosis undertaken by one of our physicians of the medical partnership includes a comprehensive anamnesis, in which your ailments and medical history is discussed and evaluated.  In addition, specific laboratory blood tests will be undertaken and evaluated with the laboratory doctor.

The diagnosis include

  • a comprehensive anamnesis with admission and evaluation of symptoms and medical history (incl. previous medical consultations and results)
  • a physical and possibly technical examination (ultra sounds, ECG, etc.)
  • differential diagnosis:  balancing other disease patterns, which show similar symptoms (particularly chronic inflammations)
  • evaluating the co-infections questionnaire
  • determining which laboratory blood tests are necessary:  usually antibody testing (ELISA and Immunoblot), Elispot-LTT Lymphocyte-Transformation-Test and in case of chronic Lyme disease CD3-/CD57+ (NK cells) - as well as testing for co-infections if suspected
  • taking blood for the blood tests
  • evaluating the laboratory results and making a final diagnosis


Crucial for the evidence of Borrelia bacteria is the laboratory diagnosis.  This has to be carefully evualuated considering co-infections as well. This calls for a Lyme disease diagnostician also capable of diagnosing and evaluating all other diseases.

Dr. Armin Schwarzbach is the supervisor of diagnosis. He is specialised in laboratory medicine and has been a declared specialist for Lyme disease for many years.

Any laboratory findings from the past will also be considered and discussed during the consultation appointment.

The medical laboratory diagnosis is primarily based on the guidelines of the German Association of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology (MiQ12 Lyme-Borreliose).  The complexity of a Lyme disease infection is not detected completely by these guidelines and so needs additional medical laboratory diagnoses.  Therefore, other internationally recognised methods are applied as well, which have a significance for the patient before and after the therapy. (e.g. Borrelia lymphocyte transformation test (LTT, CD3-/CD57+ cells).

Vital parameters are also analysed, particularly in terms of medicinal therapies (e.g. infusions therapy) and therefore ensures that therapeutic decisions based on the laboratory results can be applied as quickly as possible.

The laboratory analysis is only one part of an extensive diagnosis.  Our experienced physicians of the medical partnership know the wide spectrum of possible disease patterns, which can also appear in the form of the following „unspecific general symptoms“:



In contrast to organic illnesses the disease patterns of Lyme disease occur in thrusts with changing intensity and appearance. Many patients also suffer from a slightly higher temperature during these thrusts. Co-infections are also steadily increasing and lead to a complicated course of the disease.

The majority of ailments and symptoms of Lyme disease result from chronic inflammations.  This is the reason for the importance of the differential diagnosis (see table 1 below).  IN many cases we also consult with other specialists.

Chronic inflammations occur with many disease pattern.  In addition to the "classic" diseases of this kind, such as rheumatism and hepatitis, many other illnesses also show such inflammation processes: arteriosclerosis, an impairment of the myocardal muscle, illness of the kidneys or nervous system - only to mention some expamples.  The basic pattern is often very similar; mostly there is an inflammatory vascular change.  Responsible for this are so called autoimmune reactions; this means that the immune system does not function properly and attacks not only bacteria and viruses, but also parts of the body.  Via different mechanisms this can lead to the destruction of tissues and whole organs.

Chronic inflammatory diseases are also often called "Diseases of Civilisation".  The body has had a long-term "hyperacidity" already and an overload of the most important detoxification organs (liver/kidneys/intestine).  In that case the immune system and immune defense are already severely weakened or even partly malfunctioning (autoimmune reaction).  This can result from our "modern" lifestyle  - e.g. unhealthy diet, stress and/or environmental factors;  intelligent pathogens - e.g. the spirochete "Borrelia" - increase the inflammation due to its complex changes in the immune defense.  Patients often report fatigue, weakness, lack of concentration besides pain and ailments resulting from the inflammatory reaction.

Chronic inflammatory diseases can be treated successfully.  A wide range of medical measures is available as well as additional complementary measures and guidelines for "self-help".

Table 1:  Common Disease Patterns with Chronic Inflammations

  • Lyme disease and possible Co-infections (Babesia, Bartonella, Ehrlichia, Chlamydia, Rickettsia/Coxiella, Mycoplasma and specific viruses: EBV, CMV, HSV)
  • Fibromyalgia - chronic pain with symptoms in joints and musculoskeletal system
  • Alzheimer's disease
  • Breathing difficulties:  asthma, chronic Bronchitis, emphysema
  • Blood sugar problems
  • Intestine diseases, imflammatory: Colitis ulcerosa, Crohn's disease
  • Obesity (significant overweight)
  • Gout
  • Hear diseases
  • Candidose and thrush:  a mycosis - systemic medical yeast increase
  • Headache (including migrane)
  • Cancer
  • Food intolerances and eating disorders
  • Liver diseases
  • Lupus:  autoimmune disease
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Kidney diseases
  • Parkinson's disease
  • Rheumatism (Rheumatoid Arthritis) and Osteoarthritis
  • Cystic Fibrosis:  Mucoviscidosis, a severe disease - not curable

Note:  This list might not be complete.  In terms of a differential diagnosis it should be checked in detail what disease patterns and causes are based on the clinical pathology.   Not everything is Lyme disease!  When the necessary anamnesis is undertaken, the past medical history should also be checked.  If needed we also consult external medical specialists.

We take you and your illness serious and listen to your concerns!  The physicians of the medical partnership realize that a chronic Lyme disease infection is often misjudged and patients are falsely said to be mentally instable or depressive.

The medical partnership works with a wide range of modern diagnosis equipement for the necessary physical examinations in terms of diagnosis and anamnesis:

  • Resting ECG
  • Stress ECG (ergometry)
  • Lung function
  • Spiroergometry
  • Sonography (abdomen and urogenital organs, thyroid gland, cardiac including colour duplex sonography, intravascular ultrasound, contrast enhanced ultrasound)
  • OVP/ DPPG (clinical diagnostic of veins and vessels)