Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

Results Help

Hey guys, finally after a long 3 week wait I have got my lyme results back and I and am help to see that they look somewhat positive, but I am not sure.  I need some help interpreting them.  Some backround info- I have been experiencing MS/Lyme symptoms for 3 months now and have been to 6 doctors MRI's, X-rays, tons of blood/urine tests, EMGs and everything else.  All of those tests turned up normal, now my last hope (lyme) is somewhat ambiguous.  My Igenex results are:

LYME IgM WESTERN BLOT

31 kDa:  ++
41 kDa:  IND
83-93 kDa:  IND

LYME IgG WESTERN BLOT

31 kDa:  ++
34 kDa:  +
39 kDa:  IND
41 kDa:  +++
58 kDa:  +

Please help me in making sense of all this, should I try to find treatment?  Is this Lyme (everything else has been ruled out)

Thank you
10 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
428506 tn?1296557399
"Borrelia" is the name of a group of bacteria.  The bacteria specific to what we call "Lyme disease" is "borrelia burgdorferi," named after it's discoverer, Dr. Willy Burgdorfer.

"Borreliosis" means infection caused by borrelia.  In the US, this infection was first found in Lyme, CT on the East Coast, and was not initially recognized to be the same infection already found elsewhere in the world.  So we call borreliosis "Lyme disease."

The strains of bacteria can be different in different parts of the world, but there is a lot in common.

Hopefully, if your problems are from a borrelia infection, you may regain use of your leg with proper treatment.  Have they tested you for infection or started you on antibiotics?  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi, I wonder if anyone can help me, I've been in hospital for 17 days in Tenerife where I live, as I have got a problem with my left leg. From the knee down it doesn't work, I've got no control over it whatsoever. I can move my 3rd,4th and 5th toes a couple of millimetres, but the big and small one doesn't move at all. After having numerous tests, the Dr's don't know whats wrong with me. They seem ot think that I've been bitten my a bug in the UK or a place with Forests and that maybe this is attacking my foot/leg, The name they gave me was "Borrelia" so I am trying to find out as much as I can.

Would be really grateful if anyone has any ideas

Thank you so much

Maxine
Helpful - 0
373367 tn?1246402035
The CDC standard is just supposed to be for reporting purposes only....not for diagnosing.  They even state this and say that lyme is a clinical diagnosis.  

The reason they don't count the bands 31 and 34 is that they were used in the production of the lyme vaccine that is now off the market.  If someone had the vaccine, then they would test positive for those bands.  The thing is that  the vaccine actually caused lyme disease symptoms in some people and it was eventually pulled off the market by the manufacturer who said they weren't selling enough of it (I think they were  scared of lawsuits).  I believe it was only available to those in endemic areas in the Northeast.

I also had massive headaches and the doxycycline did clear that.  I was also having neurological stabbing ear pain too. I can't remember how long that it took, maybe a month or two.   I would personally think that your results are significant enough to pursue lyme and give further treatment a try.  Another thing that helped  my headaches was taking NAC (N-acetyl cysteine) and ALA (alpha lipoic acid) both 600mg  twice a day.  They are glutathione precursors which is a potent anti-oxidant.  I try to take them with food and not too close to bedtime because they give me a "reflux" problem.

My relationship  with my GP changed when I got my IgeneX results back....something about a lyme diagnosis that brings out the worst in a lot of doctors.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank you all for the help.  I will be seeing a ID doctor on Monday,  the doctor who ordered the test did not give me a good vibe and I will not be going back to him.

SOONERMOM- My first symptoms were MS/neurological symptoms, what you said about band 31 is very interesting.  I've heard that some doctors count the IND bands like +'s, in that case it seems lyme is the culprit.

Pasty and Wonko- I put myself on Doxy for a week already 300-400mg (I have had new symptoms but the old ones haven't diminished, along with massive headaches).  So these results are significant enough to pursue lyme?  I didn't know if my bands meant anything since by CDC standards I come up negative.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Those results look pretty significant to me.
Helpful - 0
373367 tn?1246402035
I agree with what everyone else said already.

My LLMD also has an explanation about the bands (it's posted on the forum somewhere) that has additional information to what Jackie posted and here is part of it:

39: Unknown what this antigen is, but based on research at the National Institute of Health (NIH), other Borrelia (such as Borrelia recurrentis that causes relapsing fever), do not even have the genetics to code for the 39 kDa antigen, much less produce it. It is the most specific antibody for borreliosis of all.

83: This is the DNA or genetic material of Borrelia burgdorferi. It is the same thing as the 93, based upon the medical literature. But laboratories vary in assigning significance to the 83 versus the 93.

93: The DNA or genetic material of Borrelia burgdorferi.

"Many would say the " +/-" equivocal ["IND"] bands are not significant. The problem I have with that, is that there are "-" negative bands. The lab has no trouble calling some bands negative. So they must be seeing something when they put "+/-" at some bands."

"The only thing that makes sense, is that there is a little bit of that antibody present in your serum. If the "+/-" equivocal is reported on the borrelia associated bands, it is usually significant, in my clinical experience. This is a strong clue that I am on the right track. "

So I would say that the IND's on 39 and 83/93 are very important, especially in addition to your other bands.  I would definitely seek out the best LLMD in your area and make an appointment like others have said.  It took me @ 3 months to get in.

One more thing I find interesting is that you said that you had MS symptoms and you also show ++ on band 31 (IgM and IgG).  I have a ++++ on band 31 IgM and have MS type symptoms too.  When I read "Cure Unknown" it talked about how the antibody OspA, that is represented by band 31, has been shown to cross react (and damage)  with myelin that is found in the central and peripheral nervous systems.  It says this finding was published in the Journal of Neuroimmunology in 2005.  Of course I wasn't surprised to read it since I do have brain lesions.

Best wishes and let us know how you are doing

Helpful - 0
428506 tn?1296557399
If you have symptoms that cannot be explained by other conditions AND you have this many bands, then seeking treatment for Lyme sounds like a good idea to me.

Will the doctor who ordered the Western blot treat you?  As JackieCalifornia mentions, there can be a wait for an initial LLMD appointment.  If you could start treatment through another doctor while you wait, that would be good, as time is of the essence in addressing Lyme.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
These names look familiar to me from my tests, but I don't know what they mean.  Sometimes takes a while to get an appointment with an LLMD, so the sooner the better, if you decide to go that route.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hey, thanks for helping me out.  I have not seen an LLMD as yet and I have been tested for co-infections.  Babs and Bart turned up negative.

HME Panel (monocytic)

E. chaffeensis IgG  1:160 TITER

HGE Panel (granulocytic)

A. phagocytophium IgM  1:20 TITER
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
What did your dr say about the results?  Is s/he an LLMD?

What about tests for co-infections like bartonella, ehrlichiosis and babesiosis?  Were they done too?

Below is some information I found quoted on another site from w w w [at] truth about lyme disease [dot] com -- (you have to run together those four words in the middle without spaces).  I don't know how accurate it is, and someone else here can perhaps comment.  There are a couple of bands on your test that seem, acc. to the info below, to relate to Lyme ... but I'm no doctor.

"IGeneX also now offers a new 30-31kDa Confirmation IgG and IgM test. If results from the initial Western Blot are positive for bands 30 or 31, it is possible that these could be due to cross-reactivity with several different types of viruses. In this confirmatory test, highly specific recombinant antigens are used to validate that the positive result is not due to cross-reaction with viruses.

"There are nine known Borrelia burgdorferi genus specie specific KDA Western Blot antibodies (bands): 18 23 30 31 34 37 39 83 and 93.

"Only one of these Borrelia burgdorferi genus specie specific bands is needed to confirm that there is serological evidence of exposure to the Borrelia burgdorferi spirochete and can confirm a clinical diagnosis of Lyme disease. (More info pages 12 & 13 "Western Blot Made Easy": http://www.publichealthalert.org/PHA%20JUNE%2007.pdf )

"Igenex Western Blot Break Down by band:

"9: cross-reactive for Borrelia
"12: specific for Bb
"18: highly specific to Lyme (Many LLMD's say if this band alone is positive, you have lyme - see link above)
"20: cross-reactive for Borrellia
"21: unknown
"22: specific for Bb, probably really the 23/25 band
"23-25: outer surface protein C (OspC), specific for Bb
"28: unknown
"30: unknown; probably an outer surface protein; common in European and one California strain - Has cross-reactivity with several different types of viruses
"31: outer surface protein A (OspA), specific for Bb - Has cross-reactivity with several different types of viruses
"34: outer surface protein B (OspB; specific for Bb)
"35: specific for Bb
"37: specific for Bb
"38: cross-reactive for Bb
"39: is a major protein of Bb flagellin; specific for Bb
"41: flagellin protein of all spirochetes; this is usually the first to appear after a spirochete infection but is NOT specific to Lyme (i.e, other spirochete diseases have flagellas - see link above "Western Blot Made Easy" for more info)
"45: cross-reactive for all Borellia
"50: cross-reactive for all Borrellia
"55: cross-reactive for all Borrellia
"57: cross-reactive for all Borrellia
"58: unknown but may be a heat-shock Bb protein
"60: cross reactive for all Borrellia
"66: cross-reactive for all Borrelia, common in all bacteria
"83: specific antigen for the Lyme bacterium, probably a cytoplasmic membrane
"93: unknown, probably the same protein in band 83, just migrates differently in some patients[/b]

"An IgM positive test result means more recent & likely currently active infection. IgG positive means previous exposure to the bacteria or older infection of Lyme. If no symptoms are present with IgG positive, it may mean an "inactive" LD infection. No matter the results, please remember LD is a clinical diagnosis, you can have a negative test and still have Lyme Disease and the co-infections, even through the best labs. If you have symptoms, you need treatment."

[adapted from www (at) truthaboutlymedisease (dot) com, please see that site]

In your shoes, I'd get me to an LLMD, test results in hand, to see what s/he thinks.  Let us know what you do and how it goes.

Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Lyme Disease Community

Top Infectious Diseases Answerers
1415174 tn?1453243103
CA
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Fearing autism, many parents aren't vaccinating their kids. Can doctors reverse this dangerous trend?
Can HIV be transmitted through this sexual activity? Dr. Jose Gonzalez-Garcia answers this commonly-asked question.
A breakthrough study discovers how to reduce risk of HIV transmission by 95 percent.
Dr. Jose Gonzalez-Garcia provides insight to the most commonly asked question about the transfer of HIV between partners.
Before your drop a dime at the pharmacy, find out if these popular cold and flu home remedies are a wonder or a waste
Fend off colds and the flu with these disease-fighting foods