Tik'Alert® - Home test for early detection of Borrelia IgM (Lyme borreliosis) 🧪🕷️

Tik'Alert® is a CE-marked, clinically validated and user-friendly rapid test that detects IgM antibodies against the Borrelia bacteria 2-6 weeks after a tick bite. The test was developed in Switzerland by Swiss Point of Care and is used by both private individuals and healthcare professionals throughout Europe. With just one drop of blood from your finger, you get a clear answer after 10 minutes, so you can quickly contact a doctor if necessary. Tik'Alert® is suitable for everyone who travels in forests and fields, dog and cat owners, gardeners, hunters, orienteers and families with children - especially during the tick season April–October. 🏞️

Brief description
Tik'Alert® is a quick and reliable home test that detects IgM antibodies against Borrelia (Lyme borreliosis) early in the infection phase. Accuracy > 88%, high specificity (> 95%) and CE-IVD approval make the test suitable as decision support before contacting a doctor. 🧬✔️

Who should use Tik'Alert®
• People who have been bitten by ticks and want security 🕷️
• Those who notice a red ring/erythema migrans around the bite site 🔴
• People with fever, fatigue or joint pain after staying in tick areas 🤒
• Parents who want quick and gentle testing of children 👨
• Anyone who wants documentation to take to a doctor if Borrelia is suspected 📄👨⚕️

How the test works
Tik'Alert® uses lateral flow immunochromatography - the same technology as many professional rapid tests. The test detects IgM antibodies against the most relevant European Borrelia strains: B. afzelii, B. garinii, B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, B. spielmanii and B. bavariensis.
• Positive test: Two lines (T + C) → IgM antibodies detected → contact doctor immediately
• Negative test: C streak only → no detectable IgM antibodies now
• Invalid test: No C-line → repeat with new test

Instructions for use
• 🧼 Wash and disinfect your fingertip
• 💉 Sting with the lancet (painless automatic mechanism)
• 🩸 Collect blood to the pipette's marking with capillary action
• ➡️ Transfer the blood to the test cassette
• 💧 Add 4 drops of reagent solution
• ⏱️ Read the result exactly after 10 minutes (not after 15 min)

Technical specifications
• Test type: Immunochromatographic IgM rapid test
• Sample material: Capillary blood from fingertip
• Analyte: Anti-Borrelia IgM
• Sensitivity phase I: 53.8%
• Specificity: > 95%
• Overall accuracy: > 88% (95% CI: 81.88–92.50)
• Temperature: Store at 4–30 °C
• Shelf life: 24 months
• Certifications: CE-IVD, ISO 13485
• Manufacturer: Swiss Point of Care, Switzerland

Important benefits
• ⚡ Early indication - IgM can be detected several weeks before many choose to take an ordinary blood test
• 🔍 High specificity (> 95%) – few false positives
• 🧭 Quick decision support - provides information you can take with you to the doctor
• 🛠️ Professional quality - also used by clinics and ambulances
• 🇨🇭 Swiss design and precision – known for stable production quality

Top 2 main features
• 🕒 Early IgM detection as early as 2–6 weeks after a tick bite – the period when further follow-up is most crucial
• ✔️ High specificity that provides reliable information with few sources of error

A surprising or lesser-known benefit
🧠 IgM can be measurable for years in some people after a previous infection - this does not necessarily mean active disease, but can provide useful documentation for later symptoms or investigation.

Disclaimer and disclaimer
Tik'Alert® is a CE-IVD-classified medical test device and should be used as support for clinical assessments - not as a substitute for a medical examination.
• A negative test can occur early (before antibody formation), during early antibiotic treatment or in phase I. Repeat the test after 2–4 weeks if symptoms persist.
• A positive test means that IgM antibodies have been detected - a doctor must always be involved for assessment and follow-up.
• Uno Vita AS does not give medical advice and disclaims responsibility for misinterpretation or lack of medical follow-up.
• The test does not replace serological laboratory tests in case of persistent symptoms.

Contents in the box
• 1 test cassette (sealed)
• 1 pipette
• 1 buffer solution
• 1 automatic lancet
• 1 alcohol wipe
• Instructions for use in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and English

Scientific references
Stanek G et al. Lyme borreliosis. Lancet. 2012
Wormser GP et al. Duration of antibiotic therapy for early Lyme disease. Ann Intern Med. 2003
Mygland Å et al. EFNS guidelines on Lyme neuroborreliosis. Eur J Neurol. 2010
Dessau RB et al. Performance of Borrelia IgM assays. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2010
Leeflang MM et al. Diagnostic accuracy of Lyme serology in Europe. BMC Infect Dis. 2016
Swiss Point of Care: TIK'ALERT® Validation Report, 2021
The Institute of Public Health (FHI): Ticks and Lyme disease in Norway, 2025