Things We Do for No Reason – Polymerase Chain Reaction for Lyme Disease Diagnostic Testing
Abstract Borrelia burgdorferi polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing demonstrated a low positivity rate of 1.9% (17/885), minimal impact on clinical decision-making, and considerable healthcare cost expenditures in a Lyme disease endemic area. These findings reinforce adherence to guideline-recommended serologic testing and support diagnostic stewardship initiatives to limit unnecessary PCR utilization.
Authors
- Rahul Mahapatra (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8252-3715)
- Wesley D. Kufel (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7703-096X)
- Kristopher M. Paolino (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5779-9704)
- Alicia A Zimmer
Institutions
- Binghamton University (US)
- SUNY Upstate Medical University (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Open Forum Infectious Diseases
- Published
- 2026-10-29
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofag700
- Primary Topic
- Vector-borne infectious diseases
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00