LymeNet Flash: Igenex Lyme Test vs. Quest Lyme Test

This is topic Igenex Lyme Test vs. Quest Lyme Test in forum Medical Questions at LymeNet Flash.

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Posted by JustMeInCT (Member # 7237) on :

Which is more accurate?

I tested positive for Lyme with an Igenex Western Blot test but negative with a Quest test.

Can anyone lend some insight into this?

Thank you.

Posted by Lisianthus (Member # 6631) on :

My personal opinion... Quest wouldn't know there A** from a hole in the ground! sorry if offend anyone. Just my experience with Quest.

A LLMD told me recently that he won't use Quest any longer because they refuse to do the tests he requested. He asks for a WB, and they do an Elisa.

I would trust Igenex. BTW -I did not get a positive test from Igenex, mine came from Stony Brook.

Lisi

Posted by Bflat (Member # 7275) on :

Sounds familiar -

I was negative by Quest and CDC positive by IgeneX on WB. I don't trust the production labs for anything.

David

Posted by JustMeInCT (Member # 7237) on :

Thank you for the responses.

David - have you started a treatment program yet?

Posted by Bflat (Member # 7275) on :

Hi again,

I had been on pulsed abx's for about 10 months - mino and zith - and continued after my official Dx while waiting for co-infection test results from IgeneX. Showed up positive for babesia and so started zith and mepron about three weeks ago.

David

[This message has been edited by Bflat (edited 27 July 2005).]

Posted by JustMeInCT (Member # 7237) on :

David -
I was dxed with MS in 1997.

A friend suggested that I take a Igenex lyme test in 2005.

I have been on Avonex for 8 years and had no real side effects. I think my body will tolerate the lyme antibiotics pretty well.

Posted by nan (Member # 63) on :

Quest does not test all the bands on their WB. They leave out bands 31 and 34 which are specific for Borrelia. Many people with late stage lyme test negative with Quest for this reason....but will test positive with Igenex because they include those bands.

There seems to be a campaign right now against Igenex. You cannot have blood drawn on Cape Cod and ask that it be sent to Igenex. They refuse. We don't use that lab, etc.

It is the most reliable lab we have for testing. They are licensed in every state and are accredited....but doctors here say everyone tests positive with Igenex. More political stuff for us to deal with!

One doctor claimed that the lyme problem in this country was really an Igenex problem.
Can you imagine?

Posted by JustMeInCT (Member # 7237) on :

That is really disturbing what that doctor said.

Are there many false positives with Igenex?

Posted by Lishs mom (Member # 2344) on :

quote:
Originally posted by JustMeInCT:
Are there many false positives with Igenex?

There are false positives (few) and false negatives(many) with any laboratory and any test.

However, IgeneX is CLIA (govt) approved procedures and their results are accepted in the state of NY, which has the most stringent standards. While a false positive is possible, it is the false negatives that should be feared.

Posted by Bflat (Member # 7275) on :

JustMeInCT -

I've been able to relate my medical history to most probable exposure in the mid-1950's in coastal Texas - before Lyme was invented.

I've had more guessinoses and wasted testing than you can imagine. I finally talked my mainstream PCP to signing off on the IgeneX WB and did all the legwork myself to get the specimen drawn and shipped.

So, I would very much encourage you to get tested, as some friends on another board suggested to me. I'll make sure my email is available in my profile if you want to discuss the details.

David

Posted by JustMeInCT (Member # 7237) on :

I tested positive for Lyme with an Igenex test in May 2005

Posted by Kara Tyson (Member # 939) on :

The main issue that I have with Quest is that they dont hire people who are certified lab techs (at least here). They hire people from employment agency's with no experiance in testing at all. At least with IGENEX you know that there is expertise.

Posted by RuthH (Member # 7430) on :

quote:
Originally posted by nan:
It is the most reliable lab we have for testing. They are licensed in every state and are accredited....but doctors here say everyone tests positive with Igenex. More political stuff for us to deal with!

Hi Nan, I agree with you!!! From everything I read in the beginning, Igenex was the best lab to choose, so that's why my bloodwork was sent to them. It was up to me to find someone to do the testing, too many ducks in this area, & I chose Igenex. I made several phone calls to Nick Harris & he was more than helpful, he gave me answers I couldn't get locally. I have nothing but good to say about him & his lab.

My tests came back equivocal on IgM (1 + & 2 +/- bands) & negative on IgG (4 +/- bands) & negative on PCR. If Igenex hands out nothing but positive tests, they sure didn't hand one out to me. The docs who claim Igenex is tainted don't know squat!!! Ruth H in WV

Posted by groovy2 (Member # 6304) on :

Hi All
A friend of mine used to do WB tests-
she explained to me how it is done-
Many steps- conditions have to stay
perfect throught test--tec has to
preform test properly--
Germs have to copperate and acutally
move on test slide--

Because of the way the test is
done--A false negitive is Much
more lickly than a false positive

WB is the same test used to find
anthrax--remember the anthrax mail
thing a few years ago-- the government
just gave everyone ABX because the
test is so poor--Jay--

Posted by coach (Member # 7539) on :

what about Medical Diagostics Lab in Hamilton, New Jersey. Is that a competent lab for testing?

Posted by JustMeInCT (Member # 7237) on :

Aside from Igenex, are there any other labs whose lyme tests are accurate?

Posted by nan (Member # 63) on :

MDL has a very good reputation also.

There are no iron clad foolproof tests...which is why lyme should be a clinical dx.

Your symptoms tell the story....and lab testing may show bands positive which are exclusive to Borrelia. When you put the two together...bingo for lyme!

Then there are people like me...who show only one or two bands positive through Igenex. After two years of tx I had another WB done and all the bands were positve! (CDC surveillance bands) So it is possible to test negative or equivocal and still have lyme.
Then when you are tested later after tx you
show a definite positive!

nan

Posted by DJP (Member # 5893) on :

I had my husband's western blot done at Quest (negative) and I compared it in excel with the bands that Igenex tests.

Igenex tests for all 9 of the Lyme specific bands on both the IgG and IgM. Quest only tests for 5 lyme specific bands on the IgG and only 2 on the IgM.

The spreadsheet doesn't post well here so email me if you want a copy of it.

Posted by DJP (Member # 5893) on :

Here are two articles that do a great job of explaining the western blot and false negatives and false positives.
http://www.personalconsult.com/articles/drjonesapproach.html

Posted by Kara Tyson (Member # 939) on :

The truth is that there is no test (for Lyme or anything else) that is 100% accurate.

Old test equipment, non certified staff, wrong kits, contamination, patient mix up of samples, ect. All of these things happen. Even in hospital labs.

Year after year people are told they have cancer and they dont or they have cancer and are told that they do not.

Posted by burnbitter (Member # 7088) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Kara Tyson:
They hire people from employment agency's with no experiance in testing at all. At least with IGENEX you know that there is expertise.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to run a standardized lab test. It probably does take a rocket scientist to develop a good test though.