Urine Test For Lyme Disease

What If Your Lyme Disease Test Is Positive

Its important to note that a positive result doesnt mean you have a diagnosis of Lyme disease. The tests will show that antibodies are present in your blood, but a doctor will need to order another type of test before you get an official diagnosis.

If someone gets a positive at-home test, definitely see your doctor, says Puja Uppal, DO, a board certified family medicine physician and the chief medical officer at Think Healthy.

A doctor will likely order both an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and a Western blot test, which check for antibodies specific to Borrelia burgdorferi. They will consider the results of both these tests, along with your symptoms, to make an accurate diagnosis.

Viruses Bacteria And Mast Cell Activation Syndrome Create Hypercoagulability

Pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, and mold create an inflammatory state in the human body. Inflammation triggers the coagulation cascade leading the formation of an insoluble mesh-like protein called fibrin. Fibrin is deposited along the inner blood vessel cells called endothelial cells. Bacteria such as Bartonella and viruses get trapped in the fibrin, which contributes to their survival.

It is well documented viral infections increased coagulation. Recently, there has been a surge of studies published implicating coagulopathy as the cause of serious illness even death in COVID-19 . Bacterial infections have also been associated with increased coagulation possibly as a way to trap and kill the infection to protect the human. Mast cell activation syndrome is also associated with coagulation abnormalities.

What Is The Renal System

The renal system is made up of several different parts of the body that are designed to regulate the urinary or excretory system. The parts of the body that make up the renal system are:

The system is responsible for filtering out toxins, expelling them from the body through the urinary tract. The kidneys are the main organ involved in the proper functioning of the renal system, and they do more than just excrete things the body doesnt need. They are also in charge of keeping a healthy amount of certain minerals available and in the bloodstream by playing a key role in nutrient absorption.

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Metabolite Extraction And Lc

For LC-MS/MS analyses, a total of 10µL of standard, diluted pooled urine, or diluted pooled urine spiked with standard was applied to an Atlantis T3, 2.1×150mm, 3µm LC column and analyzed by an Agilent 1260 HPLC system coupled to an Agilent 6520 quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer equipped with an electrospray ion source . Metabolites were eluted with a 1 to 99% nonlinear gradient of acetonitrile in 0.1% formic acid at a flow rate of 250µL/min. The gradient was the same as that used for LC-MS analyses with the exception of returning to initial condition of 1% acetonitrile at 17min and holding at initial conditions for 23min. The LC-MS conditions were the same as those described for the TOF analyses, with the addition of a MS/MS scan rate of 1 spectra/s. Targeted ions were fragmented using fixed collision energies .

Most Accurate: Dna Connexions

• Does not accept insurance

• No assistance after testing results are received

DNA ConneXions is a company known in the scientific community for its detailed analysis of lab results. This at-home Lyme disease test, for example, is superior to the others because it tests for all 10 vector-borne pathogens, while others only test the most common two or three.

DNA ConneXions earned our most accurate distinction because of its detailed Lyme disease test, as well as its impressive laboratory with a biosafety level 2 lab with a CLIA license. This means the company knows its stuff and is able to help people with accurate testing.

After DNA ConneXions receives your urine sample, it will review your sample, and email you your results within two to three weeks. It is unclear how much support the company offers after you receive your results, so it would be wise to schedule an appointment with your primary care doctor. This is to ensure that your body heals entirely if your Lyme disease test is positive.

This is the most expensive kit on this list, costing about $650 for the full Lyme panel. As of now, it will not work with insurance companies or accept HSA. The DNA ConneXions lab, however, is one of the most trusted laboratories worldwide.

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Some Chronic Lyme Disease Symptoms

As mentioned, chronic Lyme disease consists of a broad cluster of physical, cognitive, and psychiatric symptoms. Some of these symptoms are much more common, while others almost never occur, but can be deadly. But even the less severe symptoms, such as chronic fatigue and pain, can lead to drastic changes in quality of life for chronic Lyme patients.

Chronic Lyme survivors have reported experiencing the following symptoms for months to years after infection:

• Intermittent fevers, chills, and sweats
• Chronic inflammation
• Numbness and tingling in the limbs
• Dizziness and shortness of breath
• Heart palpitations and irregular heartbeat
• Anxiety and paranoia

Chronic Lyme disease can be linked to deadly symptoms, such as Lyme carditis .

According to Lymedisease.org, studies consistently show that chronic Lyme disease patients have poorer quality of life than those with other chronic diseases. One of their own studies showed that 75% of surveyed patients reported at least one symptom as severe or very severe.

What Does An At

Once ordered, an at-home Lyme disease test kit is delivered to your home, where you can collect the sample privately and comfortably. The kit will include the instructions, the sample collector, and the box to return the sample.

Once the results are ready, you will receive them in your email or through the company’s online portal, or they will be sent to your doctors office.

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Prediction And Verification Of Mfs

The workflow utilized to assign presumptive metabolite identification of the MFs comprising the four metabolic biosignatures developed with a 1.5-fold change cutoff is described in Supplementary Fig. . Experimental accurate masses were searched in the HMDB with a tolerance of 15 ppm to obtain putative metabolite identifications. Plant specific metabolites, alkaloids, non-endogenous metabolites and peptides were excluded from the results. Level identification was performed using the guidelines outlined in the Metabolomics Standards Initiative,. A RT window of ±10sec was applied as a cut-off to match the urine metabolite with the authentic standard.

What If Lyme Disease Goes Untreated

If Lyme disease goes untreated, it can affect other systems in the body. According to the , common symptoms of later-stage Lyme disease include:

• neck stiffness and headaches
• rashes on other parts of the body
• loss of muscle tone or a droop on one or both sides of the face
• arthritis with severe joint pain and swelling, particularly in the knees and other large joints
• pain in tendons, muscles, joints, and bones
• heart palpitations or an irregular heartbeat
• dizziness or shortness of breath
• inflammation of the brain and spinal cord

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Pathways Presumptively Affected By Eld

MetaboAnalyst 3.0 software was applied to identify metabolic pathways potentially perturbed during ELD as compared to HC . The most dominant pathways associated with the biosignature for ELD versus HC were tryptophan metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, vitamin B6 metabolism, riboflavin metabolism, phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis, citrate cycle , tyrosine metabolism and biotin metabolism . Of these pathways, only vitamin B6 metabolism was identified using both the positive- and negative-ion mode data. A complete MetaboAnalyst metabolic pathway data-set for the ELD versus HC biosignatures is provided in Supplementary Table .

Figure 2

MetaboAnalyst was also used to identify metabolic pathways potentially perturbed in ELD as compared to MONO . The top pathway hits were folate biosynthesis, phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis, riboflavin metabolism, one carbon pool by folate, phenylalanine, tyrosine metabolism, biotin metabolism, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, fructose and mannose metabolism, galactose metabolism, starch and sucrose metabolism, glycolysis or gluconeogenesis and valine, leucine and isoleucine biosynthesis. Of these pathways, phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis were identified using both the positive- and negative-ion mode data from ELD versus MONO comparisons. A complete MetaboAnalyst metabolic pathway data set for the ELD versus MONO biosignatures is provided in Supplementary Table .

Is There Anything Else I Need To Know About Lyme Disease Tests

At-home test kits for Lyme disease are available. To do these tests, you usually collect a drop of blood from your finger and send it to a lab for testing. If you want to do an at-home test, it’s important to talk with your provider first. Some at-home tests may use lab methods that aren’t proven to work, so your results may not be accurate.

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How Much Do At

Generally, at-home Lyme disease tests cost around $100, while others may cost closer to $500. The difference comes down to how many pathogens you are hoping to test for. On average, the test will look for two or three, but more expensive tests may screen for 10 to 15.

Depending on your insurance and which test you select, it may be covered. Another option is to pay for the Lyme disease test with your HSA/FSA, since some companies will accept that as a payment form.

Laboratory Tests That Are Not Recommended

Some laboratories offer Lyme disease testing using assays whose accuracy and clinical usefulness have not been adequately established. Examples of unvalidated tests include:

• Capture assays for antigens in urine
• Culture, immunofluorescence staining, or cell sorting of cell wall-deficient or cystic forms of B. burgdorferi
• Lymphocyte transformation tests
• In-house criteria for interpretation of immunoblots
• Measurements of antibodies in joint fluid
• IgM or IgG tests without a previous ELISA/EIA/IFA

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You Do Not Usually Need Tests To Show That You Have Lyme Disease

In most cases, theres a clear sign of Lyme diseasea painless, spreading rash that often grows to look like a bulls eye. If you have this rash, and you recently had a tick bite or were in an area known for Lyme disease, you dont need a test. Instead, your doctor can just start treating you with antibiotics, as appropriate.

What Happens During Lyme Disease Testing

Lyme disease testing is usually done on a sample of blood. In certain cases, a cerebrospinal fluid test may be done.

For a Lyme disease blood test:A health care professional will take a blood sample from a vein in your arm, using a small needle. After the needle is inserted, a small amount of blood will be collected into a test tube or vial. You may feel a little sting when the needle goes in or out. This usually takes less than five minutes.

For a CSF test:You may need a cerebrospinal fluid test if your symptoms could mean that Lyme disease is affecting your nervous system, such as a stiff neck or numb hands or feet. Providers may order a CSF test if the results of your blood test show you likely have Lyme disease or if the results are uncertain.

To get a sample of your cerebrospinal fluid, a provider will do a procedure called a lumbar puncture, also known as a spinal tap. During the procedure:

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What Is On The Horizon For Lyme Testing

Because Lyme bacteria are not usually present in high enough numbers to be detectable, blood tests to look for Borrelia are not helpful.

Better diagnostic tests are needed that are direct and can detect infection at all stages of Lyme disease. Researchers are studying new diagnostic methods using better antibody tests, direct detection methods, and different ways to measure immune response to Lyme disease.

Common Types Of Testing For Microbes

Testing is getting better, and there are a variety of different ways to test, but none of them are anywhere near 100% accurate. Testing is mostly useful for diagnosing acute illness. This is especially true when symptoms of illness suggest infection with a higher virulence microbe that might respond to acute treatment with antibiotics. New innovations may gradually improve testing for chronic illness associated with stealth microbes.

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The Role Of Lyme Disease Tests

The purpose of the most common type of Lyme disease testing is to determine whether you have developed antibodies as a result of past exposure to the Borrelia bacteria that cause Lyme disease. Antibodies are proteins created by the immune system that target specific threats like bacteria and viruses.

Blood testing alone cannot determine whether you have Lyme disease. Instead, testing can provide helpful information that your doctor can consider along with other factors, such as any symptoms youve had and whether youve been exposed to ticks that can carry Borrelia, to determine if a diagnosis of Lyme disease is appropriate.

Beyond blood testing, it is possible to analyze fluid from the central nervous system for signs of the Borrelia bacteria.

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What Is Lyme Disease

This bacterial infection is spread through the bite of a young deer tick or black-legged tick. These eight-legged creatures, about the size of a poppy seed, can be found in wooded and grassy areas throughout the United States, especially in New England and the Rocky Mountains.

Because these ticks are so small, most people donât realize when theyâre bitten. But the longer a tick stays attached to you, the more likely it is to transmit Borrelia burgdorferi , if the tick is a carrier.

If not found and treated, Lyme disease can lead to problems with your joints, heart, and nervous system. It can even affect your memory.

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What Are The Symptoms Of Lyme Disease

Lyme Disease is a bacterial infection that results from a tick bite. The symptoms vary, and you can feel sick for months because of it. Some of the most common symptoms of Lyme disease are flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, and headache. A rash can also occur in 70 to 80 percent of infections. If left untreated, the symptoms can worsen into facial palsy, dizziness, heart palpitations, and more.

Best For Dna Test: Selfdecode

Self Decode

• Tests for chronic conditions related to Lyme disease like PTLDS

• Results in 6-8 weeks

SelfDecode searches for more than Lyme disease. When you take an at-home test through this company, you’ll receive an entire mock-up of your DNA. You will know if you ever had Lyme disease in the past, as well as if you are susceptible to PTLDS, a chronic condition triggered by Lyme Disease.

The test involves taking a simple cheek swab, after which the test is mailed back to the company’s lab. After six to eight weeks, you will receive your results via email, and you will be contacted by a medical professional to see what the next steps are.

This is a subscription service that costs just under roughly $100 a year, so you will be able to check yourself for Lyme disease regularly when the test is shipped out. This service is great for those who enjoy the outdoors and are exposed to ticks a lot.

SelfDecode’s test is not covered by insurance, but most primary care physicians will accept these results.

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Types Of Lyme Disease Tests

Antibody titer tests for Lyme disease measure antibodies that are specific to the bacteria that can trigger the condition. Antibodies are part of the bodys immune response. Tests look for two types of antibodies, known as immunoglobulin M and immunoglobulin G .

IgM antibodies usually peak within a few weeks after an infection with Borrelia bacteria and start to collapse 4-6 months after infection. IgG antibodies are slower to develop, beginning to show 4-6 weeks after exposure and may peak 4-6 months after exposure. While IgM tends to be associated with an active infection, both IgM and IgG can persist in the blood for many years.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a two-stage or two-tiered test for these antibodies. If the initial blood test is positive for IgM or IgG antibodies associated with the Borrelia bacteria, a second test is done, often using different laboratory methods.

Testing for IgM and IgG can support the finding that you have been exposed to Borrelia, but this on its own does not prove whether or not you have Lyme disease.

Follow-up testing may be necessary if testing is inconclusive. This could involve repeat blood tests or the use of different types of medical tests to rule out other health conditions. In people suspected of bacterial reinfection, imaging tests may be used to detect joint inflammation.

Galaxy Diagnostics Launches New Direct

Press release from Galaxy Diagnostics, Inc.

Galaxy Diagnostics, Inc., has announced the launch of the Nanotrap® Urine Test for Lyme Borreliosis.

This urine-based Lyme antigen test provides the most sensitive direct detection of Borrelia burgdorferi infection at all stages of the disease.

The test provides advantages antibody testing does not, namely:

• Identifies positive cases missed by CDC-recommended Two-Tiered Testing
• Reduces concern for false positive results via direct detection of OspA proteins
• Uses easy-to-collect urine sample

The revolutionary test greatly increases the likelihood of Lyme disease confirmation via innovative Nanotrap® technology developed by Ceres Nanosciences. Nanotrap® particles capture and concentrate low abundance Outer surface protein A in urine samples confirmed by a highly sensitive Western blot.

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What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Lyme Disease

Signs and symptoms of Lyme disease depend on how long youve been infected. If youre pregnant and have been bitten by a tick or live in or travelled to an area with Lyme disease, talk to your health care provider.

Early signs and symptoms include:

• A rash called erythema migrans . This rash looks like a bulls eye around where the tick bit you. It may feel warm and may or may not be itchy.
• Muscle and joint pain
• Swollen lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are glands throughout the body that help fight infection. You usually cant feel them unless theyre swollen.

Later signs or symptoms include:

• Being short of breath