posted
I posted an earlier question about Spiro Stat testing, which I didn't know was the company's name and not the name of the actual test. It's a PCR test to detect the DNA of Lyme and coinfections.
If you've had it, do you think it's accurate? Did it come back negative when you were sure it should have been positive?
I get my results on wednesday and my biggest fear is that it will be negative and the doctor will stop treatment.
He diagnosed me clinically and said he was 100% sure that I have it based on my symptoms and history of a tic bite with the EM rash.
Successful treatment is the hope that I'm holding on to and I don't want to go back to square one trying to figure out what has caused all of my problems.
Any insight into this?
Posts: 107 | From Hesperia, CA | Registered: Feb 2011
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seekhelp
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 15067
posted
This is 'Lymenet.' We all expect every test to be postive because everyone thinks/knows they have Lyme! Posts: 7545 | From The 5th Dimension - The Twilight Zone | Registered: Mar 2008
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TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
From pages 7 and 8 of the Burrascano Guidelines:
"PCR tests are now available, and although they are very specific, sensitivity remains poor, possibly less than 30%. This is because Bb causes a deep tissue infection and is only transiently found in body humors.
Therefore, just as in routine blood culturing, multiple specimens must be collected to increase yield; a negative result does not rule out infection, but a positive one is significant. You can test whole blood, buffy coat, serum, urine, spinal and other body fluids, and tissue biopsies. Several blood PCRs can be done, or you can run PCRs on whole blood, serum and urine simultaneously at a time of active symptoms. The patient should be antibioticfree for at least six weeks before testing to obtain the highest yield."
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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posted
I tested positive via urine pcr. I was told before the test that if its negative it doesnt mean I don't have anything because they have lots of false negatives but if I test positive its hard to argue as there are few if any false positives with pcr.
Posts: 186 | From colorado | Registered: Jul 2010
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Abxnomore
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 18936
posted
I had a positive PCR from urine, too. The test is indisputable. It means that the test found fragments of the spirochetes DNA.
Yes, you can have negative ones and yes as was mentioned above that does not mean you don't have lyme.
Posts: 5191 | From Lyme Zone | Registered: Jan 2009
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posted
My understanding is that, because a PCR is a DNA test, there are few false positives, but can be false negatives if the DNA is not found in the blood.
I had a SpiroStat test and it was positive for Lyme (consistent with Igenex). I pretty much feel this is an accurate test. And, apparently, the most sensitive PCR/DNA test available.
My test was after 3 months on antibiotics. I take this as meaning that the antibiotics have not worked thus far, and the Lyme is still active and kicking around in my blood.
-------------------- We really know so little about the body and the microbiome. Posts: 261 | From Southern California | Registered: Jan 2011
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Abxnomore
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 18936
posted
That's correct. There are no false positives with a PCR of blood or urine.
If they find the DNA of the spirochete, the test cannot be disputed.
Of course, there will also be false negatives. That does not mean you don't have Lyme.
Posts: 5191 | From Lyme Zone | Registered: Jan 2009
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Razzle
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 30398
posted
EM rash post-tick bite = Lyme. You shouldn't need any test to tell you this.
-------------------- -Razzle Lyme IgM IGeneX Pos. 18+++, 23-25+, 30++, 31+, 34++, 39 IND, 83-93 IND; IgG IGeneX Neg. 30+, 39 IND; Mayo/CDC Pos. IgM 23+, 39+; IgG Mayo/CDC Neg. band 41+; Bart. (clinical dx; Fry Labs neg. for all coinfections), sx >30 yrs. Posts: 4166 | From WA | Registered: Feb 2011
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