CD 57 test through Lab Corp?

[colleenrn]

Dr Beals wants to do a CD 57 blood test through Lab Corp. Has anyone had this done and was it helpful?

TIA!

Colleen

[rowingmom]

Our LLMD uses LabCorp to test CD57 every couple of months. DD10 started at 18 and has slowly risen to 27. Some LLMDs feel that CD57 testing is not useful in younger children, but ours does use it. Who knows?

[MichaelTampa]

I think it's useful, and some patients and docs do. Other patients and docs don't. It does not show the impact of coinfections, but supposedly is depressed "only" from borrelia infection. I feel changes in this number have tracked my experience fairly well. Note that some feel that for kids before puberty it is not a good test, because the number can be low just due to physical immaturity.

[socalmom]

I had it done through LAB CORP it was covered by ins. and my son is very low.

 

It's a controversial test to some but for me i think it's reflective of just how sick my son is.

 

I think it's also re checked before any LLMD considers stopping treatment for Lyme as It's numbers are thought to be able to tell wether you will relapse I read somewhere.

 

hope this helps.

[philamom]

I had it done on myself. It was not covered by my insurance.

[colleenrn]

My 5 year old son just had his CD57 results return. His CD57 is 24. My LLMD said when it is in the 20's it can indicate babesia. Is this significant?

 

TIA.

Colleen

[rowingmom]

DD10 tested negative for babesia through Igenex, and our LLMD is not treating her for it. I guess this doesn't mean she doesn't actually have babesia, but she doesn't have any symptoms either. Her symptoms seem to be lyme and bartonella (for which she tested IND and IgG positive). As I posted earlier her CD57 started at 18 and she is now up to 27 with one year of treatment - it looks like we have a long way to go. Her symptoms have improved alot but she does relapse when taken off Abx.

[SSS]

My CD57 was 45. I was told if it is <60, this indicates chronic Lyme infection.

I have never heard of in the 20's indicating Babesia - interesting.

I have tested negative for babs, positive for Lyme and Bartonella.

For the life of me, I cannot figure out if I have Babesia - some of the symptoms could apply, but they also apply to other things.

My new LLMD does not think I have it- I gather he thinks that because maybe I wouldn't have been walking around for years not knowing I was really sick (just thinking I was heading into Alzheimer's because of my failing memory, or MS maybe one day because things kept dropping out of my hands out of my control.)

 

Anyway, we all know testing comes up with negatives when it really isn't at times, so I am going to ask for 1 more Babesia test- maybe a smear type- I could of course start drugs for it and see what happens, but I'm getting drugged out, and would like to know, if I can, for sure.

 

Never ran CD57 on my dd, almost 7.

 

Sorry so chatty Cathy today.

I think your CD57 score being so low does indicate some serious infections, I'm sorry.

[NancyD]

I have never read anything about CD57 being tied to Babesia. Would love to know where you read this. When we first started treating DD (then 15) for Lyme her CD57 was 24. We did not do this through Labcorp though -- did it through IGeneX. Over the past 19 months of treatment she has been on Azyth and Tindamax for Lyme and Biaxin/Rifampin (then switched to Doxy) for Bartonella. She has been off abx for a few months (with the exception of Augmentin XR for PANS) and she was doing well. But then she started sliding back. She had a couple of viral infections so I figured the next step would be Valtrex. We just did another CD57 (this time through Labcorp) and I figured it would be ~60. It was 20! We put her back on Azyth and will check her C4a levels. I know CD57 is not necessarily accurate but this (I believe) is indicative of a chronic infection. Just not sure what to do next. So frustrating!!!

[mdmom]

We did the CD57 test on my DS14 (his was 13) and DD12 (hers was 21) last April when they were first dx with Lyme, Babesia, Bartonella. Doc said it was an indication of how sick they are. Haven't retested, but it might be time for that. We tested through LabCorp and it was covered by insurance.

 

Some have posted here that some docs believe the CD57 isn't accurate in children, only adults. I am not commenting on this, just telling you what I have read.

[colleenrn]

It was my LLMD that said they see levels in the 20's with Babesia. They also said that babesia microtti is the strain most labs test for, but in their practice they see most of their Lyme patients with babesia duncani (I think it is WA-1). What else can cause a low CD57 (my son is 24)? Can ch

 

Colleen

[mdmom]

Interesting about Babesia and CD57 in the 20's. My daughter would fit this....her CD57 was 21 and she tested positive for WA1 - Babesia Duncani.