Can someone explain this? I thought chronic Lyme had to be igG pos. I have had this for at least 5 years?!?
Posted by BackinStOlaf (Member # 23725) on :
A lot of time IGM is more positive in chronic patients because everytime the bacteria replicates or changes form, your immune system thinks it is a new pathogen so it keep creating new IGM.
Hope that makes sense.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
St Olaf has it right-------
"With most infections, your immune system first forms IgM antibodies, then in about 2 to 4 weeks, you see IgG antibodies. In some infections, IgG antibodies may be detectable for years.
Because Borrelia burgdorferi is a chronic persistent infection that may last for decades, you would think patients with chronic symptoms would have positive IgG Western blots.
But actually, more IgM blots are positive in chronic borreliosis than IgG. Every time Borrelia burgdorferi reproduces itself, it may stimulate the immune system to form new IgM antibodies.
Some patients have both IgG and IgM blots positive. But if either the IgG or IgM blot is positive, overall it is a positive result.
Response to antibiotics is the same if either is positive, or both. Some antibodies against the borrelia are given more significance if they are IgG versus IgM, or vice versa."---Dr C of MO