Post by TishArby on Apr 13, 2002 6:17:47 GMT -5
this is written by a friend whos seen our site who was dxd FMS but also has lymee, please read through it and take it from there, and do a search for further info'' if you want to..
Diagnosing Lymee disease
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Let me interpret this, please. Because it is so important that you know what you are up against. When they looked at people they were absolutely certain had Lyme disease, they only found CDC criteria antibodies in 22% of them. Scary!
1: J Clin Microbiol 1996 Jan;34(1):1-9 Related Articles, Books, LinkOut
Evolution of the serologic response to Borrelia burgdorferi in treated patients with culture-confirmed erythema migrans.
Aguero-Rosenfeld ME, Nowakowski J, Bittker S, Cooper D, Nadelman RB, Wormser GP.
Department of Pathology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, USA.
We investigated the appearance and evolution of immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi in 46 patients with culture-proven erythema migrans (EM). All patients received antimicrobial treatment and were prospectively evaluated for up to 1 year. A total of 257 serially collected serum samples were tested by commercial IgG-IgM enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and separate IgM and IgG immunoblots (IBs). At the baseline, 33% of the patients had a positive ELISA result and 43% of the patients had a positive IgM IB result by using the criteria of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-Association of State and Territorial Public Health Laboratory Directors for the interpretation of IB results. Positive serology at the baseline and the rate of seroconversion correlated directly with disease duration and/or evidence of dissemination prior to treatment. At days 8 to 14 after the baseline, 91% of patients had a positive ELISA result and/or IgM IB result. Peak IgM antibody levels were seen at this time in patients with localized or disseminated disease. The most frequent IgM bands at the baseline and the peak were of 24 kDa (OspC), 41 kDa, and 37 kDa. Although 89% of the patients developed IgG antibodies as determined at a follow-up examination, only 22% were positive by the IgG IB criteria of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-Association of State and Territorial Public Health Laboratory Directors. The persistence of antibodies was directly related to disease duration and/or dissemination prior to treatment. Since IgM antibodies to the 24- and 41-kDa antigens remained detectable for long periods, 38% of IgM IBs were still positive at 1 year postbaseline. IgM to antigens of 39, 58, 60, 66, or 93 kDa, conversely, were most often seen in sera obtained within 1 month postbaseline. Their presence may be of assistance in confirming a recent infection with B. burgdorferi in individuals living in areas where Lyme disease is endemic.
PMID: 8748261 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
That is if you do the good test, the western blot. The ELISA is not more sensitive as some docs think, do not let a doc do that test. it is actually less sensitive.
If you have any way at all to see a Lyme literate doc, you are best off seeing a Lyme literate doc for a clinical diagnosis. Nobody else is capable. Don't trust any other lab, but a really good lab, of which Igenex seems to be the best is what should run the western blot test if that is what is being done. To get the test done by Igenex, have your doc's office call (800) 632-3200 and ask for a test kit to be sent to them or to your lab for you. Only get the blood drawn on a Mon or Tues.
Diagnosing Lymee disease
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Let me interpret this, please. Because it is so important that you know what you are up against. When they looked at people they were absolutely certain had Lyme disease, they only found CDC criteria antibodies in 22% of them. Scary!
1: J Clin Microbiol 1996 Jan;34(1):1-9 Related Articles, Books, LinkOut
Evolution of the serologic response to Borrelia burgdorferi in treated patients with culture-confirmed erythema migrans.
Aguero-Rosenfeld ME, Nowakowski J, Bittker S, Cooper D, Nadelman RB, Wormser GP.
Department of Pathology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, USA.
We investigated the appearance and evolution of immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi in 46 patients with culture-proven erythema migrans (EM). All patients received antimicrobial treatment and were prospectively evaluated for up to 1 year. A total of 257 serially collected serum samples were tested by commercial IgG-IgM enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and separate IgM and IgG immunoblots (IBs). At the baseline, 33% of the patients had a positive ELISA result and 43% of the patients had a positive IgM IB result by using the criteria of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-Association of State and Territorial Public Health Laboratory Directors for the interpretation of IB results. Positive serology at the baseline and the rate of seroconversion correlated directly with disease duration and/or evidence of dissemination prior to treatment. At days 8 to 14 after the baseline, 91% of patients had a positive ELISA result and/or IgM IB result. Peak IgM antibody levels were seen at this time in patients with localized or disseminated disease. The most frequent IgM bands at the baseline and the peak were of 24 kDa (OspC), 41 kDa, and 37 kDa. Although 89% of the patients developed IgG antibodies as determined at a follow-up examination, only 22% were positive by the IgG IB criteria of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-Association of State and Territorial Public Health Laboratory Directors. The persistence of antibodies was directly related to disease duration and/or dissemination prior to treatment. Since IgM antibodies to the 24- and 41-kDa antigens remained detectable for long periods, 38% of IgM IBs were still positive at 1 year postbaseline. IgM to antigens of 39, 58, 60, 66, or 93 kDa, conversely, were most often seen in sera obtained within 1 month postbaseline. Their presence may be of assistance in confirming a recent infection with B. burgdorferi in individuals living in areas where Lyme disease is endemic.
PMID: 8748261 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
That is if you do the good test, the western blot. The ELISA is not more sensitive as some docs think, do not let a doc do that test. it is actually less sensitive.
If you have any way at all to see a Lyme literate doc, you are best off seeing a Lyme literate doc for a clinical diagnosis. Nobody else is capable. Don't trust any other lab, but a really good lab, of which Igenex seems to be the best is what should run the western blot test if that is what is being done. To get the test done by Igenex, have your doc's office call (800) 632-3200 and ask for a test kit to be sent to them or to your lab for you. Only get the blood drawn on a Mon or Tues.