Do these results mean I am still infected? Or just have antibodies? Really confused

[00blueskies00]

I was recently having weird neurological symptoms for a few months, slight weakness, tingling, in arms hands, burning sensation in extremities, muscle twitching in legs, cramping, and slight strange sensation maybe tired feeling in face scalp muscles.

Anyway I went to doctor and neurologist and everything came back normal including MRI.  I went to another doctor/naturopath that focuses on Lyme and they did all this blood work to test for infectious disease.

It came back positive for the following

- Epstein Barr
  VCA IgG reactive,
  EA IgG reactive,
  EBNA IgG reactive,
  VCA IgM non reactive

- Bartonella Henselae
  IgG by IFA reactive,
  IgG by Titre 1:128

- Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever -
  IgG FA Reactive 1:128
  IgM FA Non reactive < 1:64

- Murine Typhus
  IgG FA Reactive 1:128
  IgM FA Non Reactive < 1:64

So my question is do I still have these organisms in my body?

What does it mean when the IgG is reactive but the IgM is not?

And what significance is the value 1:128?  

All the results say evidence of prior or recent infection...but they don't state whether or not I'm currently infected.

How do I interpret these?

[mkh9]

P.s. once you have been exposed to EBV (Epstein Barr virus) it is like Herpes you have antibodies for life. You can sometimes reactivate and get symptoms. Most people don't. You can look up info on https://www.cdc.gov/epstein-barr/about-ebv.html  But you don't have current infection. You would have to look for recurrent infection or chronic. I doubt that is what is causing your symptoms right now.
mkh9

[00blueskies00]

Hi Thanks for replying.  I was tested for Lyme, Borella burgdorferi, some other things like Q fever, CMV etc...all negative.  European Lyme (test result still pending)

But the doctor who requested these tests said that there are other forms of pathogens for Lyme that our public health tests don't test for.  So its possible one of those is positive.   I would have to get a more comprehensive test somewhere else.

In any case I was never treated for any thing because I never knew I was exposed to any of these.  I only found out now by chance because of the weird neurological symptoms prompted me to seek a different doctor who just happened to have an interest in Lyme related illness.

Before seeing this new doctor, my family doctor never in all these years wanted to test for anything like Lyme even though I mentioned it many years ago when I noticed change in my health for three years.  Their reasoning is exactly as you say - you need to have a rash and have noticed a tick that remained on your for X number of hours.  Which obviously is false since I never even remember seeing a tick on my ever, or ever having any bulls eye rashes.

Since I haven't received treatment for anything, I guess there is a chance these pathogens still exist in my system?  Do any labs such as the ones you mention determine if the pathogen is actually present?

I wouldn't want to start any treatment without knowing for sure if its actually in my system.  Just because over use of antibiotics are not that good considering what we know now about out gut microflora and our health.

[mkh9]

I agree of course that you shouldn't take antibiotics if you don't know you have lyme or one of the co-infections. That wouldn't make sense. If you can afford to pay for the testing or if you can find a doctor that will order the tests and your insurance will pay for it or the system you are on will pay then I would try Igenex . They do molecular testing (PCR). This will look for the bacteria in the blood. It can detect very small amounts. Usually lyme can hide out in the lymph nodes so you don't always "catch" it in the blood and therefore it is probably cyclic that it enters the blood periodically. Also, Bartonella, Erhlicia, Anaplasma, and other strains of Lyme are tested at that laboratory. A lot of doctors don't seem to realize that the Lyme tick is so small most people don't see it. Also, you don't always have the rash. Even the CDC here originally had said "you have to have the bullseye rash" now they are saying you  don't always get it. Obviously, you could have something else. Have you seen an infectious disease specialist? Here in the U.S. they have "lyme literate doctors" or LLMD's that understand lyme and its co-infections. But they charge way too much and I think they are taking advantage of people.
https://igenex.com/
https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/signs_symptoms/index.html
The CDC here is saying that 20-30% don't get the Erythemia migrans rash or bullseye rash. I think it is higher .
mkh9

[mkh9]

I also just read that you could possibly have reactivation  of the Epstein Barr virus. See chart in link below. Scroll down to chart to see your results.
https://labtestsonline.org/tests/epstein-barr-virus-ebv-antibody-tests
regards,
mkh9

[mkh9]

It looks like you have been exposed to all of these things in the past so you have antibodies to those bacteria and viruses but you don't have them currently. Except that with Bartonella, were you treated right away for that? If not it often recurs and you can have it chronically. Often if you have Bartonella then you may have Lymes disease as well. Did they test you for that too? If not you should get tested for that. I would write to the Lyme forum. They are really good at helping Lyme patients. But to start with some doctors don't believe you have been exposed to Lyme if you don't have a rash . But most people don't ever get the rash. So  you could still be positive for that. If you have the money to get tested Igenex is a really good lab to send your specimens if you can pay for it and the doctor will send the specimen there. If you can't they can still test for it. Hope this helps.
mkh9