posted
I had my 19 month old daughter tested for lyme because I have lyme disease. I don't know when I was infected but I first noticed symptoms in Sept. 2004. I was still breast feeding my daughter at that time. Her first round of testing was done locally and not through Igenex. Her results are as follows:
IGG: Band 39 and 41 said "present", all other bands were "absent" IGM: All bands were absent
Doctor who is "lyme knowledgeable" but not an LLMD says it's negative.
I'm concerned about band 39. I thought that was the most specific band for lyme. Does that mean she has active lyme disease? I know that the western blot looks for antibodies. Could I have passed on the antibodies through breast feeding but not the actual lyme bacteria? I'm concerned about congenital lyme also since I do not know when I was infected. However, I don't think I had symptoms while I was pregnant.
My daughter does not appear to have symptoms. She seems like a happy, healthy toddler. She is in the 97th percentile for height and weight and seems to be doing well devleopmentally - mental & physical.
Please help with interpreting this confusing test.
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Dark circles under eyes itchy skin levido reticularis thrush scaly/orange peel skin swollen glands/tonsils red ears flushed looking face light and sound sensitivity
I found it! Rereading it just answered a question that had been looming in my mind so I thank you for getting me to pull this up.
Your baby is in my thoughts and prayers.
Posts: 399 | From Texas | Registered: Apr 2005
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bpeck
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3235
posted
Do you (or did you) test positive for IgG band 39 kDa when you were tested?
If you're fine now, and did have this band, then I don't see why it's not possible that you passed the antibody to your daughter - thats the whole point of breast feeding - so the baby acquires the antibodies of the mom.
If I were in your shoes (which I'm not of course) and I was feeling OK, and I had band 39 previously, and my baby was feeling just fine *but with a + band 39 - IgG) I would NOT give the baby abx.
From what I've read- when they use antiserum from lyme infected animals and infuse it into other animals, then challenge those animals with Lyme spirochetes - as long as the DOSE of spirochetes is below a certain magnitude, then the animal is protected - (The most protective antibody was p39) this means that enough antibodies to 39 kDa is protective as long as the spirochete load wasn't too high. Of course there are no guarantees - and these are research papers -
But that's what I'd do, but This will come down to a decision between you and your Doc. of course.
posted
I was clinically diagnosed with lyme. I just asked for more testing and my doc ordered tests through the same local lab which included the western blot. I should have the results in about a week. I am curious to know if I have a positive band 39.
What is levido reticularis listed above? My daughter does have dark circles and she did have organge peeling skin on her scalp. I thought it was shampoo residue but just don't know. So confused.
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Just another piece of the puzzle.
Posts: 399 | From Texas | Registered: Apr 2005
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riversinger
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 4851
posted
I believe Dr. Jones might consider that a positive test. I am copying his statement on lab interpretation below.
However, I don't think he automatically treats, just based on a test. It is still a clinical judgement whether or not to treat. I highly recommend you consult with him if you are concerned. He is the best authority.
Addendum Regarding Lyme Serology
There are nine known [Lyme] Borrelia burgdorferi Genus species specific KDA Western Blot antibodies (bands): 18, 23, 31, 34, 37, 39, 83 and 93.
Only one of these Borrelia burgdorferi genus specific bands is needed to confirm that there is serological evidence of exposure to the Borrelia burgdorferi spirochete and can confirm a clinical diagnosis of Lyme Disease.
CDC Western Blot IgM surveillance criteria includes only two burgdorferi genus species specific antibodies for IgM 23 and 39 and excludes the other seven Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies.
CDC Western Blot IgG surveillance criteria includes 18, 23, 30, 37, 39 and 93 and excludes bands 31, 34 and 83.
It does not make sense to exclude any Borrelia burgdorferi genus species-specific antibodies in a Lyme Western Blot, and to include only two of these antibodies in IgM because all the antibodies in IgG were once IgM.
IgM converts to IgG in about two months unless there is a persisting infection driving a persisting IgM reaction. This is the case with any infection including a Borrelia burgdorferi induced Lyme disease.
The CDC wrongfully includes five non-specific cross-reacting antibodies in its Western Blot surveillance criteria: 28, 41, 45, 58 and 66. This leads to the possibility of false positive Lyme Western Blots. There can be no false positives if only Borrelia burgdorferi genus species-specific antibodies are considered. One can have a CDC surveillance positive IgG Lyme Western Blot with the five non-specific antibodies without having any Borrelia burgdorferi genus species specific antibodies.
This does not make sense.
The CDC recommends that the Lyme Western Blot be performed only if there is a positive or equivocal Lyme ELISA. In my practice of over 6000 children with Lyme disease, 30% with a CDC positive Lyme Western Blot have negative ELISA's. The Lyme ELISA is a poor screening test. An adequate screening test should have false positives, not false negatives.
livinlyme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3773
posted
Dr j in Conecticutt... for sure.. he will get to the bottom of this... I do know that band 39 in a long term treatment band.. and just becaue it will show up in one test does not mean it will show up again... it is known fact that when drawing blood at the same time You can run 4 randoim vials of blood from the same draw The Western blot test will find some bands in one vial of blood and not in the other and you may find none in one vial.. but find other bands in the other vial.. i hope this makes sense to you..
Just because your baby has band 39 and 41 showing .. if you took blood from that same blood draw and ran another WB on it you might find band 23 and 31 in that test.. and on another test from the same blood draw you might find no bands.. the aweful thing about these tests are they are not reliable.. the keets can hide and not be detected.. it is great your 9 month old does not show any signs or symptoms.. but then again neither did mine until they were about 15 months old.. and it was a sprial down from that point on...
I know I had it before I had my babies and I was never treated for it.. so I can bet my life that my chidlren had it from birth and it has marred their lives now.. Why wait.. get an opinion from the top ranking LLMD for peds.. dont wait.. it may be too costly
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