This is a negative Igenex test, right?

[PetRescue]

So I wanted to get my husband tested for Lyme just to make sure he doesn’t have it. Here are his results from Igenex:

Western Blot IgM: Negative; Band 41 (IND)

Western Blot IgG: Negative; Band 39 (IND), 41 (++), 58 (+)

I read thru the explanation of the bands again, and it said 41 turns positive first, followed by 39, but usually on the IgM. But my LLMD considers this a completely negative test, and says he does not have Lyme. For symptoms, he has a weird painful neck thing, loss of memory, and some others, but when you diagnosis Lyme based on symptoms, how does one distinguish between Lyme symptoms and just “aging” symptoms?

Of course I am hoping he truly does not have Lyme, and I was hoping that the test would give us an answer, but now I am more confused. Could this be one of the elusive negative Lyme tests?

~jen

[Maz]

@PetRescue wrote:

I read thru the explanation of the bands again, and it said 41 turns positive first, followed by 39, but usually on the IgM. But my LLMD considers this a completely negative test, and says he does not have Lyme. For symptoms, he has a weird painful neck thing, loss of memory, and some others, but when you diagnosis Lyme based on symptoms, how does one distinguish between Lyme symptoms and just “aging” symptoms?

Hi Jen,

Sort of surprised by your LLMD’s interpretation, because Band 39 is species-specific for borrelia and even an IND (indeterminate) reading on this band warrants a suspicion of Lyme, especially if there is a history of tick exposures, living in a lyme endemic region and/or symptoms correlate to the disease. In other words, an IND read on Band 39 means your hubby can’t just be “a little bit pregnant.” In my case, I tested positive on Bands 39 and 41 with IND on 23-25 on IgG and this was a positive IGeneX test. In my case, it was just confirmation of what I already knew, because I’d had 2 bulls-eye rashes which equal Lyme, no matter what any test says.

According to leading LLMDs, if Band 41 and one other Lyme specific band (double-starred) is positive, this is definitive for Lyme. IND readings on specific bands are quite significant, because no antibody would be appearing at all if none was present. It just means that on the day of the test, not enough antibody was there for a full read. Band 41 on its own is not as significant, because it is the protein associated with spirochetal flagella, meaning the tail of a spirochete, and there are a number of spirochetes with flagellum.

Lyme tests should never be taken in isolation from a clinical work-up for Lyme disease and must only be regarded as nice confirmation if positive, but should not rule out Lyme if negative or questionable. LLMDs treat symptoms, not tests. The thing is, are your husband’s symptoms bad enough to warrant treatment for chronic Lyme? Only he can really know this, as he’s living the symptoms. If he’s concerned, it might be worth getting a second LLMD opinion. The western blot only tests for borreliosis and, if coinfections are present, then these can provide further evidence of exposure to Lyme. E.g. if a patient is entirely negative for borreliosis, but tests positive for babesiosis, then an experienced LLMD will usually cover the corners and treat for borreliosis as well as babesiosis, as more ticks carry Lyme than babesiosis and it’s just safer to treat than not.

Hope this makes sense? How are you faring, Jen?

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