posted
It depends somewhat on which type of testing is done.
Babesia antibody tests look for an immune system response to the infection -- IgG and IgM tests.
Babesia PCR tests look for the actual DNA of the protozoan.
Blood slides or blood smears look for the actual organism using microscopes.
The IGeneX FISH test is looking for either antibodies or DNA == I Forget which.
If doing a PCR test then a challenge of babesia meds taken for 3 - 5 days prior to the test may be helpful.
For other tests -- I think it depends a lot on the level of infection and whether or not it is sequestered as to whether a challenge of babesia meds will affect the test results.
Please be sure and test for both babesia microti and babesia duncani (WA-1) regardless of what state you live in.
There are about 30 strains of babesia and I think 6 or 7 have been found in humans.
Both Clongen and Fry can test for other species -- but some of those tests can get expensive.
If you don't want to take babesia meds per se then an antiparasitic might help -- tindamax, flagyl or ivermectin.
Or something to boost the immune system -- I definitely feel like the reason hubby could never tolerate low dose LDN was due to his babesia infection.
Bea Seibert
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Judie
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posted
Lyme, babesia microti and bartonella will be done through Igenex. She says it's a western blot.
The test for other co-infections will be done through Labcorp.
Is there any particular type of testing I should request from Igenex and Labcorp?
I got reinfected in August (I had a bulls-eye rash last month that began on September 3).
I tested CDC positive for Lyme in 2012.
The doc I just saw INSISTS on retesting for lyme if I want to do co-infections.
I haven't taken anything but herbals this month (I had a bad allergic reaction to antibiotics a month ago, not a herx, and the doc didn't want to give me any).
Bea - I couldn't tolerate LDN either. Hmmmmm......
Keebler - Great article, thank you.
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