posted
what does it mean when a PCR test shows a result of equivalent, not negative, but not positive, just..."equivalent."
Also, is it the Western Blot test that shows "bands?" I don't understand what bands are, but doc says this test shows positive b/c there are six positive "bands." Are six pos bands a lot?
-------------------- bla Posts: 59 | From Pennsylvania | Registered: Oct 2013
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posted
Wonderful Info, Lymetoo! There were two tests performed. First, an EIA, which resulted "equivocal."
The second test was a WB, with six positive bands, confirming I have Lyme according to doc.
I don't have a copy of those results to compare with your info. I only have what's stored in memory from our goings over the results; therefore, I don't know what bands were positive or with what degree of positivity.
I'm gonna have to request a copy of those results next visit so I can come back to this intel and compare.
I was just concerned about the "equivocal" part, but looks like it's a positive with the confirmation of a WB. Good news for me, I suppose :/
-------------------- bla Posts: 59 | From Pennsylvania | Registered: Oct 2013
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posted
My original post indicates a PCR test, which is different from an EIA. I'm a little confused which test was actually performed and showed "equivocal," b/c the paper read "IEA," but when I inquired about what that is, doc compared it with PCR, which at time I indicated was familiar.
Now, however, I read they are two very different tests. EIA is more comparable to the famous ELISA, being as it is a type of EIA, searching for proof of antibodies; whereas, PCR looks for antigens.
Further, the info in the link you (Lymetoo) provided lists multiple types of Lyme tests, and the list includes both EIA and ELISA, which complicates my understanding again, b/c if they are the same (one defines the other), why list them both as separate tests? Just trying to figure it all out.
-------------------- bla Posts: 59 | From Pennsylvania | Registered: Oct 2013
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'Kete-tracker
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 17189
posted
"equivocal" (a result of 1.0) is just a fancy way of saying the ELISA test result was "on the border" of being considered positive.
Since that's enough for the lab to *automatically* do [run] the 2nd tier, the Western blots, you get the full results, which you have.
And, yes, the PCR test is a whole different kind of test. It actually looks for the tell-tale signs of Lyme borrelia *DNA* in the body fluid sample... which often isn't found, unfortunately, even in an "infected" patient. Another way to say this is that there are a lot of 'false negatives', as with most Lyme tests.
A "buffy coat PCR test" is marginally more sensitive due to how the sample is prepared.
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