posted
Hi, wondering if anyone has had a very low CD-57 count and a NEGATIVE Western Blot result? What could cause this OTHER than a bad result on the Western Blot? Is there any other condition that causes low CD-57?
Posts: 9 | From Dallas, Tx | Registered: Sep 2008
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posted
Yes, I've had a 20, a 29 and two negatives (band 41 only). I have no clue Posts: 520 | From Maryland | Registered: Jan 2007
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disturbedme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12346
posted
Yep, my husband and I have low Cd57's. Mine is 9, his is 26.
I've done IGeneX once and LabCorp a few times and all of those times, I've only had 41 IgG show up. The weird thing is: When I FIRST was tested through IGeneX I was not on any abx and only showed 41++ IgG. Then the next time I was tested at LabCorp I was NOW on abx and it was completely negative. Then tested again while OFF abx for a two-month stretch and it came back positive again for 41 IgG.
So it's like when on meds, the 41 is completely gone. Then when OFF abx, the 41 shows back up. Not sure exactly what this means, but I've found it to be quite odd. That, and I don't make any other antibodies. My immune system is pretty shot. I was bitten by a tick when I was about 14 years old.
My husband has only had LabCorp done and he showed 41 on IgM AND IgG.
I still say 41, though not SPECIFIC for lyme, means a great deal and many times actually is lyme. Of course that's just my opinion, as there are others here who wouldn't agree...
AND as far as we know right now, lyme is the only thing that lowers the CD57 count.
-------------------- One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar. ~ Helen Keller
My Lyme Story Posts: 2965 | From Land of Confusion (bitten in KS, moved to PA, now living in MD) | Registered: Jun 2007
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TerryK
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 8552
posted
If a low CD57 represents a depressed immune system (and that's my understanding), then it makes sense that your body would not be making antibodies because that is a function of the immune system.
Edited to further explain: The western blot only works if the immune system is able to make antibodies to borrelia (the bacteria that causes lyme).
Lyme depresses the immune system which is a big reason why testing is so inaccurate because the western blot does not actually look for the organism but for the immune system reaction to the organism.
Terry
Posts: 6286 | From Oregon | Registered: Jan 2006
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adamm
Unregistered
posted
Most Lyme patients will get negative Western Blots.
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