BORRELIA CULTURE NOW AVAILABLE TO EVALUATE LYME DISEASE PATIENTS
Research breakthrough promises a new Gold Standard in Lyme Disease testing Lyme Disease blood testing has been notorious for its unreliability This has been responsible for misdiagnoses and inappropriate patient care, as well as confusion on the part of both patient and physician alike.
Now, as a result of intensive research, Advanced Laboratory Services Inc. is able to offer what will rapidly become the new gold standard of Lyme tests, the Borrelia Culture.
WHY DO A CULTURE? A culture is a direct test. It will tell you whether the infection is present, and is more accurate than a serology (ELISA and Western Blot), which is not a direct test and at best can only indicate prior exposure.
For example, in diagnosing a urinary tract infection, do you test the blood for antibodies to E. coli, or do you culture the urine? The obvious answer also applies to diagnosing infection due to Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb). Cultures are more useful and give more information.
They are saying that the test is $595 and it is about 98% accurate...it is a culture medium and actually has an environment to grow the spirochetes. It can take 2 to 10 weeks to grow it and now there is a second half to the test that is a DNA part also.
Not sure if this is mostly hype or if there is some validity to this test. Not yet available in Canada. The DNA lab currently testing for Co-infections in Canada is still inaccurate so not sure if the DNA testing in this lab will be any better.
Sorry if this is a stupid question, but I haven't read too much on this new test.
If it is a blood test, and the chetes are in your tissues, what are the odds of testing positive?
Can this test be used to determine if you have erradicated all of the chetes? What about coinfections?
Posted by lululymemom (Member # 26405) on :
I will hazard my best guess, since I am only relaying information that I have been informed of. This test is only for Borrelia, not co-infections.
Not all 3 stages of the life cycle of the Borrelia are intracellular or cystic.. That is why abx must be stopped at least 4 weeks prior to testing. If they are in cystic form, they will come out and enter the bloodstream. The life cycle involves blood, tissue, and then cystic and in acute infections this cycle repeats itself.
The idea that BB is only in the tissues is not correct. Again, this is only my opinion from everything that I have learned on this journey. If BB did not exist in the bloodstream doctors would not be perscribing abx long term that address the blood form.
Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
"Can this test be used to determine if you have erradicated all of the chetes?"
No, sorry! To date there are no tests capable of doing that.
Posted by BoxerMom (Member # 25251) on :
This is the result of Dr. B's (of the Guidelines) research. He's been working on it for years.
It is his pet project, and his company, I believe.
Posted by Hoops123 (Member # 18333) on :
So for those of us who have tested positive and are treating, it is of no benefit then. There still is no way to know when you are "cured" (if there is such a thing) other than your symptoms.
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
This test is being recommended by Dr. Burrascano and by Dr. J., world famous pediatric lyme specialist. Dr. J. recommended it in his talk at the 2011 Lyme Conference in Toronto a few weeks ago.
So, there is no hype. This is the kind of lyme test that lyme doctors have wanted for years.
Burrascano stated that he is a private consultant to the company that created the test. And, it was created by that company at the request of Burrascano.
This way, if a person wants to find out if they have lyme or not, the lyme doctor can order the culture test. This test will not be dependent on the person's body making antibodies to the lyme bacteria, like the current tests done at Igenex, Quest, LabCorp, etc. It is a direct test for lyme, which is what we have wanted for years.
Posted by sk8ter (Member # 8671) on :
I tested pos (low) on it. I have been dealing with this stuff for 2 decades. This test is a huge breakthrough I think. For those who have had this for so many years and who do not make antibodies to it anymore this is pure proof of existence. You get a photo of the blood slide too. You can see the sketes in it. I am praying them away literally. God is greater than this stuff !
Posted by sparkle7 (Member # 10397) on :
There's a company in TX that does PCR testing. I'm still skeptical. I guess time will tell.
Posted by lululymemom (Member # 26405) on :
For those of us who have been infected a long time, I think it's time to stop wasting our time and money on Igenex testing. We're all on here, guessing at what our test results mean?? For the amount of money we spend there has to be a better testing method and maybe this is it!
If I had to do it over again, I would not have spent the money to get the results I received.
Posted by Allie (Member # 10778) on :
I think this test is amazingly wonderful!! This test can prove beyond a shadow of a doubt if someone has active infection (but can't prove absence of infection). If enough people test positive after "sufficient" antibiotics (per IDSA definition of "sufficient") the IDSA has to change their tune!!! Persistence will have been proved by the gold standard -- culture. Where are the research studies!!!! Can't wait!!!! I'm sure it is just a matter of time. YAE!
Posted by sk8ter (Member # 8671) on :
This is not a PCR culture. It is entirely different medium...
Posted by seekhelp (Member # 15067) on :
Does insurance pay for this test? Is it considered a credible lab by mainstream medicine?
Posted by susank (Member # 22150) on :
sk8ter - just curious - were you previously tested by other labs? if yes - which ones and which bands did you show a reaction to?
has anyone else been tested by this lab yet - and also could provide the bands they previously tested positive for? this would be most interesting.
i swore i would not test again - but this one i will do.
Posted by koo (Member # 30462) on :
Allie said it best, she said it tests for an active infection. How do we know if an infection is actually active or not? I've had this for 40 years, was lucky to test positive but Igenex by IFA earlier this year, not bands, never positive by Labcorp, and for some crazy reason just did Igenex again because my MD "wants to see bands come out" why??? No bands came out and now I fear she may stop treating me. The new test doesn't make sense if you have to be off ABX for four weeks. What is the difference? The infection certainly doesn't disappear in four weeks. Is this the same test that the University of Texas infectious disease department claimed that they have come up that was on the news about 6 weeks ago?
Posted by ktkdommer (Member # 29020) on :
My ILADS doctor sounded pretty postive about the new testing at my appointment last week. For my oldest son who is now symptom free, it will give us a better indicator than just symptoms free and an OK CD-57. I want that piece of mind that the buggers are gone. The doctor thought that this would be a true indicator because I asked about the chance of relapse. He is 18 and needs to move on from Lyme disease and put it in his past.
For my youngest, I appreciate the sensitivity of the new testing and look forward to the day when he is ready to use the test as a true guide of whether he is he healed or not?
As a mother who passed on this terrible disesase, I am thankful for the new test.
I will start saving up now!
Posted by sk8ter (Member # 8671) on :
I was CDC pos (7 bands) in 2006 by Igenex, before that I was tested at Bowen and was pos there. All other normal labs were neg. So its been five years now so I had the test. Mine grew quickly. It can take from 2 to 10 weeks to grow it. What is interesting is they send a photo on your results of the actual sketes on the culture medium. My LLMD was part of the clinical studies of this test and there were thousands of trial specimens before they came up with the right culture medium that is an exact environment for the spiros to live in and survive. The additional 2nd part of the test is about to come out that will be a DNA PCR in addition to the first part.
This is NOT an antibody test in any way. This medium is an environment that the spiros will proliferate and grow. It is an amazing test.
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
When nobody can figure out what's wrong with you and you decide to go to your first lyme doctor, this is the test you want.
It will tell you if you have lyme or not.
Posted by susank (Member # 22150) on :
Sk8ter - do you have your paperwork - ie which bands were positive ie IGM and IGG from your prior WB tests?
There are two parts to the test? A culture and a DNA test? Is the DNA test now available? If not - any idea when it will be? Tks.
[ 11-12-2011, 05:41 PM: Message edited by: susank ]
Posted by nomoremuscles (Member # 9560) on :
quote:Originally posted by TF: This test is being recommended by Dr. Burrascano and by Dr. J., world famous pediatric lyme specialist. Dr. J. recommended it in his talk at the 2011 Lyme Conference in Toronto a few weeks ago.
So, there is no hype. This is the kind of lyme test that lyme doctors have wanted for years.
Burrascano stated that he is a private consultant to the company that created the test. And, it was created by that company at the request of Burrascano.
This way, if a person wants to find out if they have lyme or not, the lyme doctor can order the culture test. This test will not be dependent on the person's body making antibodies to the lyme bacteria, like the current tests done at Igenex, Quest, LabCorp, etc. It is a direct test for lyme, which is what we have wanted for years.
Yes.
But you still have to have a blood sample that contains borrelia, no?
And if borrelia hides out in tissues, and not blood, as most of us have been told, then the chances of a positive would be pretty slim -- so how is this going to be a gold standard?
Posted by lululymemom (Member # 26405) on :
Is it that borrelia isn't in the blood? Or is it that current testing methods cannot detect it?
One of the requirements for this test is that the person needs to be in the acute stage which causes them to be very symptomatic. Anybody, whether newly infected or chronically infected, will experience the acute stage. This active infection should be detectable in the blood.
Posted by susank (Member # 22150) on :
Here is a URL to previous info on the tests.
Perhaps some of it has been updated since these were written? 80 pct specificity? or 98 pct?
I am hoping one of my doctors will agree to help me with this test. Non LLMD's. But can pull blood in their offices. That the test is a whole blood sample helps.
If there is too much hassle with a new/different/unknown to them lab - then doctors less inclined to help.
For Advanced they just have to call and request the kit? Blood is pulled and I fill out most of the paperwork including my method of pre-payment?
Does the doctor's office have to set up an account with Advanced - etc - requiring what could be seen as taking too much of their time/paperwork/effort? TIA.