Need Help w/ Interpreting Igenex Results

[KatieDid1988]

Hi, I just got my test results back from Igenex. Can anyone please help my interpret? Thank you!

Test Name: IFA B Burgdorferi G/M/A Result: 80

Ranges:
80 Positive

Lyme IgM WESTERN BLOT

IGM Result NEGATIVE
CDC/NYS Result NEGATIVE

18 kda. -
**23-25 kda. -
28 kda. -
30 kda. -
**31 kda. IND
**34 kda. -
**39 kda.
**41 kda. +
45 kda. -
58 kda. -
66 kda. -
73 kda. -
**83-93 kda. -


LYME IgG WESTERN BLOT

Igenex - IGG - IND
CDC/NYS- Result Negative

18 kda -
*23-25 kda -
28 kda +
30 kda -
**31 kda +
**34 kda -
**39 kda -
**41 kda ++
45 kda -
58 kda -
66 kda -
**83-93 kda -

GENOMIC - B Burgdorferi NEGATIVE
PLASMID - B Burgdorferi NEGATIVE

[KatieDid1988]

Also, on the test info, it says that "if only 31 and 41 kda are positive, then a confirmation test for Indeterminate WB result is recommended. Some viral antibodies cross react with 31 and 41 kda". Those are the only positive bands on mine, so does that suggest that maybe Lyme is not the culprit? Like maybe some other virus is at work?

[JackieCalifornia]

Welcome to MedHelp Lyme -- you're in good company here, whether you have Lyme or not.  

Your doc should, at your next appointment, walk you through the test results, but if s/he doesn't, then ask that it is done, so you have your doc's explanation and not just yes or no on having Lyme.  (Also be aware that this test is only for Lyme disease, and the 'Lyme' ticks often carry other infections too, which do not show up on the tests for Lyme.  Your doc would order other tests based on your symptoms, if any, that do not look like Lyme.)

And if your doc has not already given you full copies of your test results, ask for them.  They are yours, and you are entitled to them.  What your current doc may see as nothing could be read very very differently by a different doc.  Lyme is in a crazy transition from being thought of as rare, hard to get, and easy to cure, but that was before Lyme became widespread, and many docs still don't take Lyme seriously.

No one here is medically trained that I know of, but here are some thoughts from me fwiw -- my comments are in {{curly brackets}} below, pasted into clips from your post:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Test Name: IFA B Burgdorferi G/M/A Result: 80

Ranges:

80 Positive  {{ This says 'positive' -- so that is something your doc should explain clearly if s/he doesn't think this is Lyme.  'Positive' means the test detected Lyme.  Full stop.  'B Burgdorferi' is the scientific name for the Lyme bacteria, short for Borrelia Burgdorferi.  }}

=============================================

Lyme IgM WESTERN BLOT {{ 'Western blot' is the name of the test }}
     IgM          Result NEGATIVE  
     CDC/NYS  Result NEGATIVE

{{ These two 'negative' results are not necessarily the last word, for a variety of reasons:  "IgM" [immunoglobulin M] are the antibodies the human immune system makes shortly after a new infection arrives, and these antibodies attack the invading bacteria.  After a relatively short time, this immune response will taper off (and the test will say negative as a result) because the body assumes that it has effectively killed off all the invading bacteria.  However, in some infections [including Lyme], the bacteria have ways of hiding from the immune system and so are not always killed outright. A good Lyme doc knows that. Therefore the Western blot isn't the final word on whether or not you have Lyme.  If the test is positive, it is reliable; if it is negative, it could be wrong.}}
=============================================
More from your test results:

18 kda. -
**23-25 kda. -
28 kda. -
30 kda. -
**31 kda. IND  

{{ IND is short for 'indeterminate', meaning maybe yes, maybe no.  Actually, it indicates a positive result, but a weak one.  A Lyme doc would likely take this seriously, because an IND is *not* a negative result. }}

**34 kda. -
**39 kda.
**41 kda. +

{{  This band 41 is a positive, although a weak one since it has only one + sign.  But a positive is a positive, and a good Lyme doc will not ignore it and will look at the overall test results.}}

45 kda. -
58 kda. -
66 kda. -
73 kda. -
**83-93 kda. -

These are negative, but they do not outweigh the positives above.
===============================================

LYME IgG WESTERN BLOT

{{ This test looks for your immune system making antibodies against Lyme some time after the initial infection.  The IgG antibodies (see above) trail off, and the IgM antibodies take over.  Both IgG and IgM antibodies are meaningful if positive. }}

Igenex - IGG - IND  {{ Again:  IND means indeterminate, which means maybe yes or maybe no.  Another way of saying that is this:  it is not nothing, and a Lyme doc would know that.}}

CDC/NYS- Result Negative  {{ The Centers for Disease Control [CDC], which is an arm of the Federal govt, and the NYS [the New York state health authorities], are charged with identifying and dealing with widespread diseases that affect whole populations.  As a result, these agencies look for trends, and their data has to be very solid before they go running down the street screaming 'EPIDEMIC!'  Thus their requirements for confirming Lyme in a particular person are set very, very high, and many of us who do have Lyme are told that we do NOT.  Because these tests and standards were developed to track epidemics and not to diagnose one person, there are too many people who really do have Lyme but are told they do not.  

This issue is made worse because the standard tests for Lyme (ELISA and Western blot) too often give a negative result ('no infection') when really you CAN have Lyme.  Why does this happen?  Because these particular tests rely on the reaction of the human immune system, **which the Lyme bacteria are able to suppress.**  

Lyme specialists use a completely different test (although usually in addition to ELISA and Western blot, as flawed as they are, because all data is useful).  This newer test is called PCR, or polymerase chain reaction, which looks for evidence of Lyme bacteria's DNA or genetic material.  The Lyme bacteria cannot suppress DNA, so the test is far more reliable than ELISA/Western blot.

Your tests show that you have + marks next to a number of **double starred bands** (see below), and that would cause me to find a good Lyme specialist without delay, to get a second opinion.  

18 kda -
*23-25 kda -
28 kda +
30 kda -
**31 kda +
**34 kda -
**39 kda -
**41 kda ++
45 kda -
58 kda -
66 kda -
**83-93 kda -

I will send you a private message through this email system to recommend the MD who treated me successfully -- it's not far from you.  Go to the top of the screen at the MedHelp page online, and in the blue bar there, you will see 'My MedHelp' -- click on that, and a drop down menu will include 'Inbox'.  When there is a message for you there, it will say 'Inbox (1)'.  Then click through.  We are all still protected by our screen names in that process, so no one is seeing anyone else's true identity.

Sorry if this is overwhelming, but take it in small bites and let us know if you have any questions.  Take care!  Keep us posted.

[KatieDid1988]

Hi JackieCalifornia, thank you so much for your detailed response! Also, thank you for sending the private message. I truly appreciate it. I have a couple follow-up questions.

1. IFA B Burgdorferi G/M/A Result: 80. Isn't this diagnostic in itself? Could this be positive for any other reason, other than Lyme? It seems obvious that if my body is creating antibodies for the specific Lyme bacteria, then I must have the bacteria in my body. Right?

2. On the Igenex test info, it says that "if only 31 and 41 kda are positive, then a confirmation test for Indeterminate WB result is recommended. Some viral antibodies cross react with 31 and 41 kda". Those are the only positive bands on mine, so does that suggest that maybe Lyme is not the culprit? Like maybe some other virus is at work? I've read it could also be syphilis, leptospirosis, dental spirochetes, relapsing fever. I feel like all of those could be ruled out clinically. And then I go back to the IFA and think that sice that is positive, that would confirm that these two bands are positive due to Lyme. Any extra info on the combo of these two bands would be super helpful.

I have an appointment with an LLND coming up. Ready to get to the bottom of this.

Again, thanks for the info and support.

[KatieDid1988]

Hi JackieCalifornia, thank you so much for your detailed response! Also, thank you for sending the private message. I truly appreciate it. I have a couple follow-up questions.

1. IFA B Burgdorferi G/M/A Result: 80. Isn't this diagnostic in itself? Could this be positive for any other reason, other than Lyme? It seems obvious that if my body is creating antibodies for the specific Lyme bacteria, then I must have the bacteria in my body. Right?

2. On the Igenex test info, it says that "if only 31 and 41 kda are positive, then a confirmation test for Indeterminate WB result is recommended. Some viral antibodies cross react with 31 and 41 kda". Those are the only positive bands on mine, so does that suggest that maybe Lyme is not the culprit? Like maybe some other virus is at work? I've read it could also be syphilis, leptospirosis, dental spirochetes, relapsing fever. I feel like all of those could be ruled out clinically. And then I go back to the IFA and think that sice that is positive, that would confirm that these two bands are positive due to Lyme. Any extra info on the combo of these two bands would be super helpful.

I have an appointment with an LLND coming up. Ready to get to the bottom of this.

Again, thanks for the info and support.

[JackieCalifornia]

Well, one thing is for sure ... you don't have the fog of 'Lyme brain' [confusion] to deal with!  These are very good questions, and perhaps someone else here will answer them -- at the moment, I don't have the time to research it -- sorry!