Igenex results

[JJMom39]

We recently rec'd DS9's Igenex results. I have not yet spoken with our PANDAS doc who ordered the tests, but I did speak with his nurse and I have a copy of the results. I have spent a lot of time looking at information online about how to interpret the western blot, but it's all still a bit like a foreign language to me. His results were:

 

Single + on bands 41 and 31 and IND for band 83-93 for IgM. His IgM was considered positive.

He was IND for band 31, IND for band 39, double ++ for band 41, and single + for band 58 for IgG. His IgG was considered negative.

He was also negative for all co-infections that were tested. They ran numerous co-infection tests--bartonella, babesia, erliciosis, rickettsia.

 

Can someone explain why band 41 is significant if it's not specific to borrelia? And I read something (see below) about band 31 saying that it can cross react with several viruses so what does that mean?

 

This is just one of the things I read about band 31 (and 30)--

"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."

 

Thank you for any input, explanation, etc. I'm sure this has all been covered before, but after much reading on the subject I am more confused than before I started!

[philamom]

Our LLMD feels band 83-93 is very significant and would not run the 31 confirmation test. When I first ran the Igenex WB through our pediatrician, my daughter was 31+, 41+, 93++, 34 & 39 IND. I decided on my own to run the 31 confirmation test because I was concerned about cross-reactivity. It was negative. A month later during our first appt. with our LLMD, he told us he wouldn't have run the confirmation test because of the positive 83-93. He said he would only run it if there were no other lyme specific bands. He said in our case it was a waste of money. Band 31 usually represents an older infection (at least 6 months).

 

Band 41 is not lyme specific, but is usually the first band to appear in most lyme cases.

 

Unfortunately, the co-infections become tricky as well. Our first co-panel from Igenex came back negative. We then tested our DD with Specialty labs and found her positive for Bartonella, but negative for other TBI's. She continues to test positive for bart.