Suspected Tick-Borne Illness
A Smarter Strategy for Elusive Pathogens
Tick-borne pathogens such as Borrelia, Babesia, and Bartonella often go undetected due to low abundance and immune evasion. Galaxy’s multi-layered testing strategy helps detect what others miss.
Why Traditional Tick-Borne Panels Can’t Keep Up
Because these infections behave unpredictably, circulating one day and hiding the next, single-point testing often misses them. Their shifting presence in blood and tissues means that even well-designed panels can fail to detect current presence of a pathogen. That’s why many clinicians find traditional testing can’t keep pace with what’s happening inside the patient.
- Serology tests only detect pathogen exposure, not current pathogen presence
- Overlapping symptoms can confuse diagnosis
Stealth pathogens demand a smarter diagnostic strategy, one that looks beyond antibodies and timing.
A Smarter Strategy for Elusive Pathogens
Triple Draw BBB Direct Detect
- Detects Bartonella, Babesia, and Borrelia at the genus level
- Uses digital PCR across three serial blood draws
- Increases detectability for intermittently circulating pathogens
Bartonella IgG Detect
- Measures immune response to four most prevalent Bartonella species
- Helps interpret past vs. possible current presence of a pathogen
- Supports treatment planning
Lyme Borrelia Direct Detect
- Uses Nanotrap® technology to isolate Borrelia OspA antigen from urine
- Provides non-invasive detection of Lyme pathogen without relying on antibodies
Designed for complex or unexplained cases.
- Persistent or relapsing symptoms (fatigue, neuropathy, pain, dysautonomia)
- Negative or inconclusive Lyme/co-infection tests
- Tick, flea, or animal exposure (cats, dogs, livestock)
- Functional or integrative care patients
- Treatment protocol reassessment requiring clarity
Understanding Infection Status: A Multi-Layered Approach
Galaxy’s suspected tick-borne illness testing integrates multiple diagnostic perspectives to give clinicians a clearer picture of infection status. Each layer contributes unique insight. Together, they improve diagnostic confidence.
Triple Draw BBB Direct Detect
Increases the probability of detection.
Testing across three days helps capture pathogens that circulate intermittently in the bloodstream.
Not all days yield the same results, serial draws matter.
Bartonella IgG Detect
Adds immune context to molecular findings.
By measuring antibody levels against Bartonella, this test helps distinguish between past exposure and potential ongoing infection, supporting clinical interpretation.
Lyme Borrelia Direct Detect
Identifies presence of pathogen even when serology fails.
Using Nanotrap® technology, this non-invasive urine test isolates Borrelia OspA antigen directly, providing clarity when antibody-based methods are inconclusive.
The Result: Layered Insight for Clinical Confidence
By combining direct detection with immune-response testing, Galaxy’s approach provides the context, precision, and confidence clinicians need to guide care in complex tick-borne disease cases.
Trusted by Healthcare Providers Nationwide
“Galaxy’s direct detection gives my team the clarity we need. Their science, education, and partnership have changed how we approach complex tick-borne cases. When I need objective data, not just a panel that lights up, Galaxy is the gold standard.”
— Dr. Chris Turnpaugh, Turnpaugh Health & Wellness
“Galaxy is leading the field in stealth pathogen diagnostics, not just with innovation, but with transparency and trust.”
—Dr. Shannon Smith, Turnpaugh Health & Wellness
“Galaxy Diagnostics is the single best test you can order to manage stealth infections. It’s a reliable, leading-edge tool that stretches a provider’s ability to diagnose accurately where others fall short.”
— Dr. Jay Stevens, Essential Health
“Galaxy has been the most consistently helpful tool in confirming Bartonella exposure and guiding effective treatment — often when other labs miss it.”
— Dr. Maria Marian, Jyzen
“What sets Galaxy apart is their science and their partnership, they don’t just deliver results, they help me contextualize them so I can treat patients with clarity and confidence.”
— Dr. Tonya Cramer, Essential Health
“What gives me confidence in this testing is the strength of the underlying science—the reproducibility, the specificity, and the rigor of the methodology. That combination makes it a more reliable and clinically actionable tool.”
— Dr. Casey Kelley, MD, ABoIM, Founder, Case Integrative Health