I am wondering if anyone here knows about the accuracy of bartonella testing via blood tests. I have done Fry and Igenex testing for it and both came up negative on titers and the blood smear. How likely is it to get false negatives for bartonella?
Has anyone tested negave and HAD it or tested negative and positive later?
Is it easier to test for than lyme or babesia? Thanks. -Despin
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
I tested negative, but had a rash, GI and cognitive symptoms that weren't resolving with Lyme treatment (well, the rash did).
I went on Cipro for something else and saw such improvement, that I got clinicaly diagnosed for Bartonella. I have been herxing with cognitive symptoms, but overall they're getting better. My GI symptoms are GONE! The rash came back the first couple weeks on Levaquin, and is now resolved.
So, apparently the blood tests aren't that accurate as I'm responding to treatment.
Posted by TerryK (Member # 8552) on :
Yes, I tested negative and have it. I developed the long bart streaks after starting doxycycline. My LLMD believes it is bartonella. My fibro doctor said he only knows of one other reason that one would develop the streaks and I've been tested for that and don't have it.
The streaks look like stretch marks but mine are not. They fade and get darker depending on whether I'm on certain abx or not. I'll be treated after we are done with babesia treatment.
I can't answer accurately about the Fry tests but the regular lab tests are not very accurate because there are apparently strains that are not tested for and new ones being discovered all the time.
Terry
Posted by savebabe (Member # 9847) on :
I have always tested negative for bart, but I started treatment anyway due to significant neuro symptoms.
Now, I am almost a month into rifampin treatment and I have been herxing the whole month, so my confidence in accurate bart testing is very low.
Posted by CD57 (Member # 11749) on :
My LLMD says bartonella is clinical diagnosis, always. There are so many strains of bart (they discovered a new one in Peru just a few months ago) that can't be tested for that the tests aren't very diagnostic.
That said, though, I'd like to be tested for b. quintana.
Posted by DesperationIn (Member # 13121) on :
Is there anyone who treated based on positive bartonella testing? If so when in your treatment did it turn positive for you and at what lab?
Posted by AlisonP (Member # 7771) on :
I tested positive for Bart right away through Igenex. My sister had the same rash as me, the streaks, but tested negative.
Posted by Kelly5907 (Member # 13734) on :
I tested positive for bartonella through igenex and just today through fry labs.. I have been on meds for my bartonella symptoms since aug 1 and feel alot better... thank God
Kelly
Posted by lymebytes (Member # 11830) on :
I have had about 4-5 Bart tests.
I have tested positive since the first test 15 months ago and every test since. My most recent test was negative and my LLMD trusts the Igenex testing very much & thinks Biaxin is responsible for eradicating Bart, hence the neg test. He believes Biaxin kills Bart & Ehrlichia (I know the point is arguable, but he is a highly recognizable ILADS MD).
I personally don't think the Bart is gone yet, I think the last test was wrong, I still have many neuro symptoms.
I have never had any streaks or skin marks of any kind. My symptoms of Bart are that my CNS pain is out proportion with any other symptom.
Posted by 2roads (Member # 4409) on :
My daughter had a negative blood PCR for Bart from Medical Diag.labs. Her stomach problems persisted. We went to a GI lyme doc who performed an Endoscopy with biopsies of her stomach and upper GI tract. Tissue biopsy PCR of stomach came back positive for Bartonella. it's insidious. These little #$##&# feed in the deepest parts of our bodies and do not always rear their ugly heads in the bloodstream.
2roads
Posted by CaliforniaLyme (Member # 7136) on :
There are just SO MANY STRAINS- !!!!!!!!!!!!! Almost impossible to test for them all!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by valymemom (Member # 7076) on :
My son was treated 17 months for lyme/babs with his first llmd. He saw 2nd llmd, Dr. B. for 14 months and still no improvement.......not until being on rifampin for bart these 7/8 months with his 3rd llmd has he improved.
A clinical diagnosis.....he never tested positive for bart or babs.
Posted by Andie333 (Member # 7370) on :
I had the streaky rash and a slew of severe neuro symptoms but never tested positive for bart.
After a clinical dx, I began to take rifampin (bad herx) and began to show improvement in all my neuro, bart-related symptoms.
Posted by cootiegirl (Member # 3216) on :
My first llmd suspected bart but several bloodtests came back negative. Where the bart showed up was in my cerebrospinal fluid...yes, I had a spinal tap done, and that's where the darn buggers were congregating! cootiegirl