If the ElISA is positive and the Western Blot is negative, does that mean I am negative for Lyme?
Posted by bridge (Member # 30896) on :
People with more experience here will chime in, but from what I've learned if the ELISA is positive then you DO have Lyme...This test is very well-known for it's high frequency of false negatives actually.
As far as your western blot being negative, I'm not sure how relevant that is..
It's my understanding that most of us here have had negatives to both of these CDC tests, and weren't proclaimed 'positive' for Lyme until a more sensitive test called IGENEX was done...
If your ELISA is positive, I'm thinking you might have caught this early on (???), so it'd be great to receive treatment soon!
Posted by kristi_w (Member # 31478) on :
I am frustrated. On the Western Blot I had no IGG or IGM bands to match. My ELISA from my primary care was positive. I don't get it. I'm an RN and none of this makes sense to me. And yes, I have had this for over 3 years, 2 hospitalizations, using a cane to walk, neurologically I have "many" symptoms and I am tired of fighting with the insurance company. I am ready to give up. Posted by Razzle (Member # 30398) on :
The standard testing does not look for all the bands on the western blot, and also the lab requires 2 of 3 bands positive on IgM western blot, and/or 5 of 10 bands positive on the IgG western blot to be positive.
Also, the tests used by most labs are very insensitive and thus apt to miss bands that IGeneX doesn't usually miss.
Furthermore, the Lyme / coinfections are known to suppress antibody formation and immune function. Since the test is looking for antibodies, lack of the presence of them really doesn't mean you don't have Lyme. And obviously you do have antibodies given the positive ELISA, just not the ones looked for on the western blot by the regular labs.
And also sometimes the antibodies are tied up in immune complexes with the Lyme bacteria and are thus unable to be detected on the western blot tests.
So the best thing I can suggest is to talk with a Lyme-Literate physician (post in the Seeking a Doctor forum here at LymeNet) and get tested through IGeneX.
Posted by lululymemom (Member # 26405) on :
I agree, it's worth the $200 to get the standard testing (codes 188 & 189) through Igenex.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
IGENEX .. for sure!!
A positive is a positive. The ELISA is known for missing more cases than it catches.
![[Frown]](frown.gif)