CD 57 Article

[JuliaFaith]

Below is information regarding the CD57. It may be a good indicator of having Lyme and possibly tracking progress, but keep in mind it is being found to be a bit unpredictable, more & more LLMD's aren't putting as much faith in the test as they use to and it should NOT be relied upon fully for diagnosis of Lyme and/or progress. Your symptoms tell the story and should always be considered first!

 

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A low CD-57 can be related to all Tick Borne Diseases, Lyme, co-infections and possibly even viral co-infections - Dr. S (inventor) explained the different possibilities directly to me at an office visit I had w/him 5/08

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Dr. Stricker and Edward Winger were in involved in the discovery of the CD57 blood test and its relation to Lyme Disease. It is often called the "Stricker CD57 or Stricker panel".

 

The test (recommended by most LLMD's) must be done at Labcorp and may be covered by insurance. (If your insurance doesn't cover the test, the cost is around $100-$150) LabCorp test code is 505026

 

In Dr. Burrascano's Treatment guidelines (I highly recommend that all Lyme patients print this 34 page manual): http://www.ilads.org/lyme_disease/B_gui ... _17_08.pdf on page 8 it explains the CD57 as follows.

 

"Our ability to measure CD-57 represents a breakthrough in LB diagnosis and treatment. Chronic LB infections are known to suppress the immune system and decrease the quantity of the CD-57 subset of natural killer cells. As in HIV infection, where abnormally low T-cell counts are routinely used as a marker of how active that infection is, in LB we can use the degree of decrease of the CD-57 count to indicate how active the Lyme infection is and whether, after treatment ends, a relapse is likely to occur. It can even be used as a simple inexpensive screening test, because at this point we believe that only Borrelia (Lyme bacteria) will depress the CD-57. Thus a sick patient with a high CD-57 is probably ill with something other than Lyme, such as co-infections.

 

When the test is run by Labcorp (preferred lab) we want our Lyme patients to test above 60; a normal count is above 200. There generally is some degree of fluctuation of this count over time and the number does not progressively increase as treatment proceeds. Instead it will remain low until the LB infection is controlled and then it will jump. If the CD-57 count is not in the normal range when a course of antibiotics is ended, then a relapse will almost certainly occur."

 

The CD-57 can be ordered by your doctor through Labcorp using the following info: 505026 HNK1 (CD57)Panel

 

The range of normal on this test is 60-360. Testing low on this test or below 60 indicates very likely active Lyme Disease. As a Lyme patient we "shoot" for 200 before stopping antibiotics (and of course remission of all symptoms for 4 full months) meaning our subset of natural killer cells (part of our immune system related to Lyme) are strong and healthy and fighting.

 

A CD57 can be used as a screening test, but only "works" only if it is low. If a CD57 comes back within normal range, it does no rule out Lyme Disease and co-infections. If symptomatic it is always wise to follow up this test with Igenex testing and then still base treatment on symptoms since no test is 100% reliable.

 

For an excellent explanation of the CD-57 read page 8 of the August 2006 issue of Public Health Alert for "All you wanted to know about the CD-57" : http://www.publichealthalert.org/Articl ... anted.html

 

AND http://heallyme.wordpress.com/2009/01/2 ... d-57-test/

 

ALSO

Description: http://www.anapsid.org/lyme/strickerpanel.html

 

Written by Dr. Stricker's nurse, Ginger Savely regarding two important tests C4A and C3A:

http://www.publichealthalert.org/Articl ... %20C4a.htm

 

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Longterm decrease in the CD57 lymphocyte subset in a patient with chronic Lyme disease.

Stricker RB, Burrascano J, Winger E.

California Pacific Medical Center, 450 Sutter Street, Suite 1504, San Francisco, CA 94108, USA. rstricker@usmamed.com

 

Lyme disease is a tick borne illness caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. In a previous report we described a decrease in the CD57 lymphocyte subset in patients with chronic Lyme disease. We have now identified a patient with chronic relapsing and remitting symptoms of Lyme disease who had decreased levels of CD57 lymphocytes over 10 years. This observation represents the longest duration of an immunologic abnormality ever documented in chronic Lyme disease. The CD57 lymphocyte subset appears to be a useful marker of long term infection with the Lyme disease spirochete.

 

PMID: 12088407 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1208 ... d_RVDocSum

 

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For more information regarding Lyme Disease Visit:

 

Truth About Lyme Disease Home Page: http://www.truthaboutlymedisease.com

 

Join our faith filled forum now at Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=1 ... 756&ref=mf

 

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[fightingmom]

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