posted
If so what lab did the blood smear and did you do any other tests to confirm the babesia diagnosis?
Bea Seibert
Posts: 7306 | From Martinsville,VA,USA | Registered: Oct 2004
| IP: Logged |
poppy
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5355
posted
Yes, the old FL lab, now closed, found it in a blood smear. It was subsequently confirmed by a CA county lab that did an antibody test for B. duncani. They will not do testing for anyone who doesn't live in the handful of counties they serve, though.
The reason I did the blood smear is that the test for B. microti came back negative but I had babesia symptoms.
Posts: 2888 | From USA | Registered: Mar 2004
| IP: Logged |
seekhelp
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 15067
posted
I have never heard of anyone finding a positive blood smear except for a show on PBS called Monsters Inside Me which aired a while back. Supposedly, it's incredibly rare. I think the odds are 1 in 200. That's IF the lab actually is diligent about reviewing the smear.
Posts: 7545 | From The 5th Dimension - The Twilight Zone | Registered: Mar 2008
| IP: Logged |
Lymedin2010
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 34322
posted
I think I saw that same Monsters Inside Me episode. A guy was walking across his lawn to get his mail & falls sick soon after.
Hospital discovers Babesia & treat him with IV. Her makes a full recovery, but I wondered about that. The hospital concluded that he got bit by a tick. How often does a tick just carry Babesia only?
I am sure he will have further symptoms down the road.
Posts: 2094 | From NY | Registered: Oct 2011
| IP: Logged |
posted
Poppy, are you talking about Central Fla. Research lab? If so, why did it close? I tested positive on the flow cytometry antigen test for lyme by that lab, after yrs. of abx. But, haven't heard about this lab in a long time.
Posts: 418 | From NJ | Registered: Sep 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
Poppy is talking about the old Bowen lab -- the lab's owner/founder died a couple of years ago. Her daughter I think it was started the Central Fl Research Lab -- not sure of current status of that lab.
Hubby did have 2 positive smears from the old Bowen lab in 2002 and 2003 I think it was.
Bea Seibert
Posts: 7306 | From Martinsville,VA,USA | Registered: Oct 2004
| IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
Printer-friendly view of this topic