Post by Sidney on Apr 12, 2007 13:46:24 GMT -5
Research: More Accurate Test for Lyme Disease gets Medicare Approval
LymeBlog News
Lexington, KY USA
By LymeBlog News Staff
A new test for diagnosing Lyme disease called 'Rapid Antigen
Identification of Bb by Flow Cytometry' is now approved for payment
by Medicare insurance.
The new test detects the antigen or spirochete of the Lyme disease
bacteria (Borrelia burgdorferi) in the patients blood rather than
testing for the patients antibodies against the Lyme bacteria.
Photo: CDC
Borrelia burgdorferi. This spirochete is the bacterial parasite that
causes Lyme disease which infects as many as 20,000 people a year in
the United States.
Up until now the most accurate test for the presence of Lyme disease
relied upon detecting the antibodies created in an infected person's
own immune system to fight the Lyme bacteria. In many people with
late stage Lyme disease the immune system is damaged and does not
create antibodies as it should.
This antibody test, known as the Western Blot, is only considered to
be accurate 60% of the time. In the past this has resulted in many
people with Lyme disease not being diagnosed correctly and,
therefore, not receiving proper treatment.
Lack of proper treatment for Lyme disease can result in heart damage,
neurological problems and even blindness.
The Flow Cytometry test is an antigen test. Antigen tests detect the
organism itself and, unlike antibody tests, antigen tests aren't
dependent upon a `sick' immune system to produce antibodies. The
Central Florida Research laboratory in Lake Alfred, Florida is doing
antigen testing.
The Central Florida Research Lab is a state licensed CLIA approved
laboratory dedicated to the research of Lyme disease and other
chronic, systemic, and infectious diseases.
The Flow Cytometry test may be ordered from the lab by any physician
or practitioner in the United States and Canada who is licensed by
the state or Province in which they practice. It can also be ordered
by physicians or practitioners in the European Union.
The physician must first order a collection kit which includes a
prepaid mailer for returning the blood sample to the lab. If the
patient is not covered by Medicare the cost of testing ranges from
$125.00 to $300.00 depending upon which tests the doctor orders.
The lab website states, "We feel this test will be a valuable aid for
the physician in the diagnosis of Lyme and other diseases when used
with symptoms and other tests for Borrelia burgdorferi."
"The Borrelia burgdorferi Direct Fluorescent Antibody by Flow
Cytometer test is the most definitive test of its kind available
today."
According to Sandy Lanford, president of LifeLyme, Inc.
(www.lifelyme.org), an educational resource for Lyme disease and
related diseases, "Everyone has said we need a better test (for Lyme
disease). Well, here it is."
For more information go to the Central Florida Research Lab website:
www.centralfloridaresearch.com
LymeBlog News
Lexington, KY USA
By LymeBlog News Staff
A new test for diagnosing Lyme disease called 'Rapid Antigen
Identification of Bb by Flow Cytometry' is now approved for payment
by Medicare insurance.
The new test detects the antigen or spirochete of the Lyme disease
bacteria (Borrelia burgdorferi) in the patients blood rather than
testing for the patients antibodies against the Lyme bacteria.
Photo: CDC
Borrelia burgdorferi. This spirochete is the bacterial parasite that
causes Lyme disease which infects as many as 20,000 people a year in
the United States.
Up until now the most accurate test for the presence of Lyme disease
relied upon detecting the antibodies created in an infected person's
own immune system to fight the Lyme bacteria. In many people with
late stage Lyme disease the immune system is damaged and does not
create antibodies as it should.
This antibody test, known as the Western Blot, is only considered to
be accurate 60% of the time. In the past this has resulted in many
people with Lyme disease not being diagnosed correctly and,
therefore, not receiving proper treatment.
Lack of proper treatment for Lyme disease can result in heart damage,
neurological problems and even blindness.
The Flow Cytometry test is an antigen test. Antigen tests detect the
organism itself and, unlike antibody tests, antigen tests aren't
dependent upon a `sick' immune system to produce antibodies. The
Central Florida Research laboratory in Lake Alfred, Florida is doing
antigen testing.
The Central Florida Research Lab is a state licensed CLIA approved
laboratory dedicated to the research of Lyme disease and other
chronic, systemic, and infectious diseases.
The Flow Cytometry test may be ordered from the lab by any physician
or practitioner in the United States and Canada who is licensed by
the state or Province in which they practice. It can also be ordered
by physicians or practitioners in the European Union.
The physician must first order a collection kit which includes a
prepaid mailer for returning the blood sample to the lab. If the
patient is not covered by Medicare the cost of testing ranges from
$125.00 to $300.00 depending upon which tests the doctor orders.
The lab website states, "We feel this test will be a valuable aid for
the physician in the diagnosis of Lyme and other diseases when used
with symptoms and other tests for Borrelia burgdorferi."
"The Borrelia burgdorferi Direct Fluorescent Antibody by Flow
Cytometer test is the most definitive test of its kind available
today."
According to Sandy Lanford, president of LifeLyme, Inc.
(www.lifelyme.org), an educational resource for Lyme disease and
related diseases, "Everyone has said we need a better test (for Lyme
disease). Well, here it is."
For more information go to the Central Florida Research Lab website:
www.centralfloridaresearch.com