Tag: Testing

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Acute Vs Chronic: How Best To Apply ELISpot Results During Different Stages Of Illness

Angelica Bottaro

Lyme disease can be challenging to diagnose in some cases because of the way it affects the body. Initially, people may develop flu-like symptoms without realizing they have contracted Lyme disease. If that occurs, the bacterial infection will continue to take hold within the body, causing further health issues (acute vs chronic Lyme differ in the problems they may cause).

People who know they have Lyme disease early on can take a course of antibiotics, and there’s a good chance this will rid the body of bacteria.  That said, no two cases of Lyme disease are ever the same. The infection can progress at different stages depending on how long ago a person contracted it. Many times, the plethora of symptoms that develop because of Lyme disease mimic other health disorders and conditions. Called the “great imitator,” and sometimes undetectable by early signs alone, Lyme disease requires new testing is needed to ensure that when a person contracts it, they can be diagnosed and treated quickly and effectively.

One specific test, the ELISpot test, can be used in the diagnostic process for Lyme disease. But what is an ELISpot test, and can it detect Lyme disease at all stages? Let’s investigate.

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Laboratory Testing For Identifying PANDAS

Angelica Bottaro

PANDAS stands for “Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections”. PANDAS is typically diagnosed when a child has a strep infection and develops other disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a tic disorder, or both. If a child already has either one of these disorders, a strep infection that makes them worse could also be considered PANDAS. 

When symptoms develop, they do so quite suddenly. For example, a child may be completely fine when they go to bed at night and wake up with dramatic symptoms such as vocal or motor tics, new compulsions, or obsessions. Other signs of PANDAS can include anxiety attacks, separation anxiety, and irritability. It can be hard to determine if a child has PANDAS because there is no single test available – it takes quite a lot of investigation to come to a positive diagnosis. So how does laboratory testing for identifying PANDAS work? Read on to learn more.

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What Does It Mean To Have A Low CD57 Count?

Angelica Bottaro

There are several routes medical professionals can take to diagnose Lyme disease. The mainstay option is the Western blot test or an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test. These tests are used together as a two-step process to determine whether or not a person has a Lyme infection.

In some cases, the ELISA test won’t be able to return a positive diagnosis because the early stages of Lyme disease may not be caught. This is because an ELISA test looks for specific antibodies, and the immune system needs time to create those after initially contracting the bacterial infection. The Western blot, on the other hand, is used to determine if there are antibodies or traces of the bacteria’s proteins within the blood.

While these tests are typically the first port of call, another test can be used to determine whether or not a person has had Lyme disease: the CD57 blood test. But what is the CD57 blood test, and what does it mean to have a low CD57 count? 

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What Is The CD57 Test Used For?

Angelica Bottaro

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that occurs when a person is bitten by a tick infected with the Borrelia bacteria. The infection typically begins with flu-like symptoms, but can progress to affect various areas of the body including organs, tissues, and the nervous system. When a person is treated early for Lyme disease, their recovery chances are high. However, Lyme disease isn’t always diagnosed or caught early, which causes many people to suffer from long-term health consequences.

Various tests can be used to help diagnose Lyme disease. Typically, tests check the blood for the presence of a current infection or evidence that someone was infected at some point prior to the test. One such test that can potentially diagnose Lyme disease is the CD57 test. But what is the CD57 test used for, exactly?

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Is There A PCR Test For Lyme Disease?

Angelica Bottaro

Lyme disease can lead to a host of different health issues, and many people may contract the bacterial infection without even knowing it. The first initial symptoms of Lyme disease are non-specific, so people may often brush them off as a minor flu or other illness. But for people who have been out in wooded areas, ignoring the symptoms of Lyme could be a big mistake – untreated Lyme disease wreaks havoc on the body and can cause permanent damage to joints, nerves, and organs.

Because of this, getting tested for a Lyme disease infection is crucial if you suspect that you may have been bitten by an infected tick. This is especially true if you believe that the tick has been attached to you for a long period of time. Typically, it takes around 36–48 hours for the transmission of the borrelia bacteria to occur, so if you find a tick attached to you and it has been several days since you were in a potentially affected area, contact your doctor to get tested.

One Lyme disease test that may be available to you is a PCR test. But what is Lyme disease PCR testing, and what does a Lyme PCR test tell you?

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