Thursday, July 29, 2010

2010 Testing results

What should I make of this? I just had a set of extensive testing done through IGENEX (a full panel and full co-infection test) fortunately the positives in my test from 2008 were now negative meaning, I am not showing Babesia right now (co-infection) and the Lyme marker that initiated the treatments are also negative. The unfortunate thing is that other markers are now positive, (instead of everything being clear) what this seems to mean is that my body is at least now starting to recognize that I have or had a problem and is making antibodies (which is a good thing). So the prognosis is that I need to be vigilant in my awareness of my body and not ignore any potential signs of activity.

It is not surprising to have these new positive results in my testing, because my CD57 is so low at 14 (should be 60-360) but the odd thing is that many other people that have much higher CD57 (considered in the normal range) are much much worse than I am, and I am doing GREAT, have energy, can complete a sentence, good memory, body feels good etc. You would never know I had Lyme unless I mention it, and that is why I talk about it.

The potential affects of this debilitating disease or so great, even fatal, you have to be diligent in finding the problem and about your recovery.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Reasons for False Negative (Seronegative) Test Results in Lyme Disease

Reasons Why A Seronegative Test Result Might Occur
Tom Grier, Lyme Alliance

From the Lyme Disease Foundation and the Lyme Alliance
Compiled by Melissa Kaplan 2003

1. Antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb) are present, but the laboratory is unable to detect them.

2. Antibodies against Bb may not be present in detectable levels in a patient with Lyme disease because the patient is currently on, or has recently taken, antibiotics. The antibacterial effect of antibiotics can reduce the body's production of antibodies.

3. Antibodies against Bb may not be present in detectable levels in a patient with Lyme disease because the patient is currently on or has previously taken anti-inflammatory steroidal drugs These can suppress a person's immune system, thus reducing or preventing an antibody response.

4. Antibodies against Bb may not be present in detectable levels in a patient with Lyme disease because the patient's antibodies may be bound with the bacteria with not enough free antibodies available for testing.

For this reason, some of the worst cases of Lyme disease test negative -- too much bacteria for the immune system to handle.

5. Antibodies against Bb may not be present in detectable levels in a patient with Lyme disease because the patient could be immunosuppressed for a number of other reasons, and the immune system is not reacting to the bacteria.

6. Antibodies against Bb may not be present in detectable levels in a patient with Lyme disease because the bacteria has changed its makeup (antigenic shift) limiting recognition by the patient's immune system.

7. Antibodies against Bb may not be present in detectable levels in a patient with Lyme disease because the patient's immune response has not been stimulated to produce antibodies, i.e., the blood test is taken too soon after the tick-bite (8-6 weeks).

Please do not interpret this statement as implying that you should wait for a positive test to begin treatment.

8. Antibodies against Bb may not be present in detectable levels in a patient with Lyme disease because the laboratory has raised its cutoff too high.

9. Antibodies against Bb may not be present in detectable levels in a patient with Lyme disease because the patient is reacting to the Lyme bacteria, but is not producing the "right" bands to be considered positive.


1. Recent infection before immune response

2. Antibodies are in immune complexes

3. Spirochete encapsulated by host tissue (i.e. lymphocytic cell walls)

4. Spirochete are deep in host tissue

5. Blebs in body fluid, no whole organisms needed for PCR

6. No spirochetes in body fluid on day of test

7. Genetic heterogeneity (300 strains in U.S.)

8. Antigenic variability

9. Surface antigens change with temperature

10. Utilization of host protease instead of microbial protease

11. Spirochete in dormancy phase

12. Recent antibiotic treatment

13. Recent anti-inflammatory treatment

14. Concomitant infection with babesia may cause immunosuppression

15. Other causes of immunosuppression

16. Lab with poor technical capability for Lyme disease

17. Lab tests not standardized for late stage disease

18. Lab tests labeled "for investigational use only"

19. CDC criteria is epidemiological, not a diagnostic criteria