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IgG postitive Lyme test with Igenex


RNmom

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My 23 year old son tested IgM positive and IgG negative for Lyme back in the fall of 2010. He was treated for a month with p.o. Doxycycline and Flagyl. Then in April of 2011 he developed a serious cellulitis in his foot secondary to an injury. This was treated with IV Vancomycin for one month. This is supposed to be an excellent Lyme treatment that is not used too much these days due to high risk of renal toxicity. An infectious disease doctor prescribed the Vancomycin for the cellulitis (not the Lyme). Our Lyme doctor said this will surely get any Lyme left in his system. BUT, a follow up Igenex test in September 2011 showed that, while my son was now IgM negative, he had become IgG positive! What does this mean? Does my son now have "chronic Lyme?" Has the Lyme managed to convert to cyst form even after oral Doxycycline and Flagyl and IV Vancomycin??? Or, is this a situation where he will remain IgG positive for a while after successful treatment. He is feeling well these days and has very few if any Lyme symptoms. Clinically, we could say he is better. Does the IgG positive test result mean his Lyme is not fully treated?

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I don't know the medically correct answer to the IgM/IgG question. There is so much conflicting information on that. But here's what I take away from your post - your son has rec'd some potent combo abx treatments. Your doctor has told you it was a good treatment for lyme (not clear from your post if this doc is just a "regular" doc advising you on lyme or if he treats lyme as his specialty - that would make a difference IMHO. Your son is clinically healthy.

 

So if it were me, I would let things be and just keep an eye on things - not for just a month, but put a tickler note in your calendar - 6 months from now, 12 months from now that reads "how is DS re: lyme?". Sometimes symptoms creep in and months later the light bulb goes off and we say "I can't believe I missed that!" Putting something in a tickler note will remind you to take stock periodically.

 

Finally - I think any abx can put lyme into a cyst form and make it difficult to treat. It can also go into a biofilm. So you need to interpret his good health in the context of how long he's been off abx. If it's been a few weeks, be very watchful. If it's been months and he's still good, then I'd breathe a little easier. I think I'd remain alert, but I wouldn't push for additional treatment unless there were remaining symptoms.

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I came across this explanation that I found helpful:

 

IgM Positive, IgG Positive, WB Positive = Likely Lyme disease

IgM Negative, IgG Positive, WB Positive = Late or previous infection

IgM Negative, IgG Negative, WB Negative = Symptoms may be due to another cause or antibodies are too low to detect

(Edit - this was in a chart, but it didn't copy right, so I re-wrote it)

 

So in your son's case a negative IgM and positive IgG could either mean he has a late infection, or he had a previous infection. From what I understand IgG doesn't go away. It sticks around forever to help give the body immunity - that's why you don't get chicken pox twice.

 

I agree with LLM's post. If he doesn't have symptoms just keep a close eye on things, but it sounds like it could be gone! Yay!

Edited by momcap
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I don't know what it means, but thought I would share our results:

 

June 2010: Positive IgM, Negative IgG

Sept 2010: Positive IgM, Negative IgG

Jan 2011: Positive IgM, Negative IgG

May 2011: Negative IgM, Negative IgG

Aug 2011: Negative IgM, Negative IgG

 

*Stopped antibiotics end of September

 

Nov 2011: Positive IgM, Positive IgG

 

Dec 2011: Advanced Labs new culture test: Positive

 

 

edit- lyme specific band always present during negative result (83-93)

Edited by philamom
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