Has anybody tested positive for these two strains of lyme disease?
If so, what was the abx treatment?
Although I got bit in the US, I have tested positive for these two strains of lyme disease and I was wondering if anybody else tested positive as well.
Thanks
Posted by seibertneurolyme (Member # 6416) on :
Curious as to which lab you used that tested for these 2 strains.
Bea Seibert
Posted by savebabe (Member # 9847) on :
I tested bordeline positive through MDL labs, and yes, I was bitten on Long Island.
Lucky me!!
Posted by CaliforniaLyme (Member # 7136) on :
Savebabe- Borrelia garinii has been documented in the USA TWICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Holy HOLY!! I didn't know this- thank you!!!!!!!!!!!! Big deal- we should all be testing for htis- and Borrelia Garinii was FIRST found in NEW YORK in 1995!!!
Afzelii I couldn't find citations for- but Garinii IS IN THE USA!! And has been since at least 1995!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In NY btw- where you were bitten!!!
GET THIS DOCUMENTED BY THE CDC- you are probably the proverbial tip of the iceberg!!! PLEASE beg your doctor to write up your case-!!! Bestest wishes, Sarah
1: J Wildl Dis. 1995 Apr;31(2):159-65. Links
Analyses of mammalian sera in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays with different strains of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato.
Magnarelli LA, Anderson JF, Johnson RC. Department of Entomology, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven 06504, USA.
Blood samples were collected from cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus), raccoons (Procyon lotor), white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus), and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) between 1977 and 1991 in southern Connecticut and New York State (USA) and were tested for antibodies against eight strains of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Among these spirochetes were six strains of B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, one strain of B. garinii (=IP90) and a strain (IPF) in group VS461. Sera from each study group reacted positively to all strains having origins in North America and Eurasia. Assay sensitivities normally ranged between 85% and 100% for all study groups. The lowest sensitivity (66%) was noted when mouse sera were tested with B. garinii, an isolate from Ixodes persulcatus in the former Soviet Union. Differences in serum reactivity to various strains were noted for all study groups, but because of multiple shared antigens among the closely related spirochetes tested, the selection of a particular North American strain of B. burgdorferi sensu stricto did not appear to be a critical factor for optimal assay performance. Locally obtained strains of this bacterium are preferred as coating antigens for serologic testing because of their availability.
PMID: 8583632
1: Emerg Infect Dis. 2006 Dec;12(12):1909-12.Links Borrelia garinii in seabird ticks (Ixodes uriae), Atlantic Coast, North America.Smith RP Jr, Muzaffar SB, Lavers J, Lacombe EH, Cahill BK, Lubelczyk CB, Kinsler A, Mathers AJ, Rand PW. Maine Medical Center Research Institute, South Portland, Maine 04106, USA. [email protected]
Borrelia garinii is the most neurotropic of the genospecies of B. burgdorferi sensu lato that cause Lyme disease in Europe, where it is transmitted to avian and mammalian reservoir hosts and to humans by Ixodes ricinus. B. garinii is also maintained in an enzootic cycle in seabirds by I. uriae, a tick found at high latitudes in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. To determine whether B. garinii is present in seabird ticks on the Atlantic Coast of North America, we examined 261 I. uriae ticks by polyclonal antiborrelial fluorescent antibody. Ten of 61 ticks from Gull Island, Newfoundland, were positive for borreliae by this screen. Amplicons of DNA obtained by PCR that targeted the B. garinii rrs-rrla intergenic spacer were sequenced and matched to GenBank sequences for B. garinii. The potential for introduction of this agent into the North American Lyme disease enzootic is unknown.
PMID: 17326943
Posted by seibertneurolyme (Member # 6416) on :
Sarah,
You might be interested in this previous thread where I posted hubby's test results from Immunosciences Lab -- unfortunately this lab is no longer in business and I don't know any other lab that offers comparable testing.
Bea Seibert
Posted by CaliforniaLyme (Member # 7136) on :
Savebabe & Bea- Garinii & Afzeli together are very very neuro- VERY VERY capable of anything- THIS is a Af/Garinii combo- 6 weeks worth!!! Bea, I would get your H dear tested!!! ***********************************************1: Rinsho Shinkeigaku. 1996 Oct;36(10):1155-60.
A case of neuroborreliosis with unilateral radiculoneuropathy and elevated serum antibodies for Borrelia garinii and Borrelia afzelii
Miyazaki K, Iijima M, Takeuchi M, Uchiyama S, Iwata M.Department of Neurology, Tokyo Women's Medical College.
A 24-year-old male patient was admitted to our hospital because of dysesthesia and weakness of the right leg.
Six weeks before admission he traveled to southern China. A week later he noticed multiple papules with itching on his right leg that were suspected to be insect bites. Four days later numbness of the right leg developed. Then he began to limp because of the leg weakness. Two weeks before admission severe pain in the right leg developed.
On admission neurological examination revealed hypesthesia, muscle weakness and atrophy, areflexia, radicular pain and Las�gue sign of the right leg, and patchy hypesthesia of the left leg. The cranial nerves were intact, and meningeal signs were negative. Complete blood counts and serum biochemistry were unremarkable except for eosinophilia and mild elevation of IgE. A test for antinuclear antibody was positive.
Cerebrospinal fluid was normal.
Nerve conduction study and sural nerve biopsy showed multifocal severe axonopathy. Although antibody for Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto was negative, antibodies for B. garinii and for B. afzelii were positive in serum immunoblotting.
Neurological symptoms improved after administration of intravenous ceftriaxon following oral doxycycline.
In Japan, this is the second case of neuroborreliosis not due to B. burgdorferi sensu stricto.
To test antibodies for B.garinii and for B. afzelii is recommended in patients with suspected neuroborreliosis.
PMID: 8997140
Posted by savebabe (Member # 9847) on :
Sorry, the lab I was tested through was Immunosciences Lab. This test was taken 08/30/06 through a llmd I saw once prior to seeing my new llmd. I just sent for the bloodwork and was shocked to find this.
Does anybody know if Igenex tests for these strains?
I want to make sure this is correct and not a crossreaction
Posted by CaliforniaLyme (Member # 7136) on :
Bea- I would get him tested at MDL!!! If $ is no object of course (I know it is for me)- but it would sure be nice to have a firm answer re your husband - you know that Doc L patient referred to in Bullseye by J.Edlow who after YEARS finally got spirochetes cultivated from her spinal fluid by Duray I think it was!!! WOuld just be nice for you- must be so hard-!! Best wishes, Sarah
Posted by savebabe (Member # 9847) on :
Here are my abnormal results:
Reference Range 0-2
Igg unrealted spirochete 3.1
Igg Burgdorferi Lysate 3.1
Igg outer surface prote. -A 3.0
Igg LFA Antigen 2.2
Sarah--My neuro symptoms (headaches, burning,tingling) have been my major symptoms. Thanks for the info.
Igm Lfa Antigen 2.3
Igg Borelia Sensu Strict 2.3
Igg B. Garinii Decorin BP- 2.4
Igg Afzelii Decorin BP- 2.6
Posted by Allie (Member # 10778) on :
This is a great discussion.
I called IGENEX a few months ago to ask if they tested for European strains of Borrelia and they said they didn't. I'm mostly convinced that I was first infected during a year I spent in Eastern Europe. I an a total neuro-lymie and have baffled my LLMD with the tenaciousness of my germs.
How much does MDL cost? What is the name (can PM me) and cost, if you know?
I'd also be curious if anyone knows which Bb bands cross-react with these other strains (for example band 41 probably does because it is the flagella, common to all ketes). I do have positive WB bands, but never enough to make it a CDC positive.
Thanks so much. Allie
Posted by BorreliaBrain (Member # 7603) on :
I got bit both in New York on Long Island AND in Europe (lucky me). My mom's European, we went to visit her folks there many times...
So, I DID test positive for all three, Bb, B. garinii, and B. afzelli - I was tested at Immunosciences lab, and as far as I know, they're not out of business (are they????) I just had their test 3 months ago.
Anyway, I'm not sure the Immunosciences test would be considered really valid, even though it is just an antibody test, but it would be interesting to see if MDL concurs. Huh.
Interesting thread.
BB
Posted by savebabe (Member # 9847) on :
I believe the DNA of the three strains is similar so I wonder if they are cross reacting. Posted by Marz (Member # 3446) on :
I'm confused. My LLMD knew I got sick in Europe, yet sent my blood to Igenex and I tested positive.
Would most LLMD's not use Igenex in that case?
Since Igenex doesn't test for European strains, does this mean for sure it is cross-reactive?
Or maybe false positive?
Still wonder if I do NOT have lyme since I'm not as sick as most here.
Posted by Greatcod (Member # 7002) on :
I asked my doctor a few years ago about the possibility of the European strains being in the US. He told me no one new because they were not tested for. Would it be interesting if the neuro Lymed who present without much arthritis were actually infected by European strains? Possibly Steere has excludes all kind of people who don't meet his "test" and presenation requirements because they are infected by the European strains, and the LLMDs have picked uup on it.
Posted by seibertneurolyme (Member # 6416) on :
Unfortunately Immunosciences ceased clinical testing as of 7/21/07.
Please be informed that Immunosciences Lab., Inc, will cease clinical testing by July 21st, 2007. We will not accept any samples arriving after 12 noon on this date.
Immunosciences' research and development division will remain in operation.
Thank you for your loyal support throughout these many years.
Sincerely, Aristo Vojdani, Ph.D., C.L.S. CEO-Owner ------------------------------------------------- MDL only offers PCR testing for the 2 European strains. Odds of getting a positive test are only about 6% if I remember correctly even if you actually have the bug.
Bea Seibert
Posted by savebabe (Member # 9847) on :
Why did they stop operations?
Posted by Vermont_Lymie (Member # 9780) on :
Wow, interesting. As one of the unlucky bitten by ticks in LI and europe, I am going to get tested for these and will let you know the results.
Posted by seibertneurolyme (Member # 6416) on :
Bringing this back to the top.
Wanted to add a note that the old Immunosciences Lab test has been bought and is available from Neuroimmunology Labs.
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