Help understanding a test result-Babesia

Hi star, welcome to the forum!

I'm sorry to say that it does appear that you tested positive, yes. If the reference titer is 1:20 but your result was higher (1:43) then that is a positive result.

I really feel for you!! I have Babesia too....my main Babesia symptoms are "air hunger" and sporadic drenching sweats, although it can definitely cause other symptoms as well. Babesia is distantly related to malaria, and many of the treatments for it are the same.

Did you have a Lyme disease test? Either ELISA or Western Blot? If not, you should try to get tested (by Western Blot) as soon as possible! This may be expensive (IGeneX in Palo Alto, which is one of the best Lyme disease labs in the country charges $200 - 500 for most of their tests).

And you are absolutely correct when you say that the symptoms for CFS and Lyme overlap....many people with Lyme are mistakenly diagnosed with CFS, fibromyalgia, lupus, or MS before they find out they actually have Lyme disease.

The problem is that Lyme can both mimic and trigger autoimmune diseases and conditions like CFS and fibro. So even if you're treated for Lyme, the symptoms may or may not go completely into remission.

But you must be treated! You definitely have Babesia and may have Lyme! Please see a doctor as soon as possible, but not just your regular family practitioner.....you need to find a Lyme-Literate doctor (aka LLMD). Depending on where you are in the country, this may be difficult. But people here on this forum can help you with that!

I'm in California, so if you are too, please email me (click on the little envelope icon in the left panel) and I will gladly send you the names of the LLMDs that I know about in both Northern and Southern CA plus an LLND on the Central Coast (naturopath).

Good luck! And please keep us posted!
((((((hugs))))))
JoAnn

P.S. I also have the name and contact info for a LLMD in New York City, if you're on the East Coast!

star19 said...
Thank you for your response.

How would I know exactly what the Titer is?

I unfortunately do not have health coverage at the moment, although I do live in NYC.

Oh, sorry, I must have misread your post! I thought you said the result should not be higher than 1:20, but you actually said 1.20!

A titer is usually written as a ratio (e.g., 1:20). Sorry for the confusion.

In any case, you read the test result correctly. If the upper end of the lab's reference range is 1.20, and your result was 1.43, then that is higher than normal, and positive.

Most LLMDs do not take insurance in any case. You usually have to pay out of pocket then try to get reimbursed by the insurance company later, if you have insurance.

If you want the name of a good LLMD in NYC, please email me privately and I'll be happy to give it to you. We are not allowed to post the names or initials of doctors on this forum, to protect them (many doctors who treat Lyme are persecuted by the mainstream medical profession and others).

Take care,
JoAnn

Titers do not allow a number like 1.43 as far as I know.

Commonly 1:8, 1:16, 1:32, 1:64 etc or
1:10, 1:20, 1:40, 1:80 etc

More likely weight per unit volume measurement. mg/uL etc.

Well I spoke with the lab and they said the titer is 1 through 16. I dont know if its written as 1:16 or 1-16 or how that works. Im still pretty new with all of this stuff.

I have requested the complete lab reports from my doctors office which I will post when I get....should be early next week.

Star,

I dug out my old tests from last year, when I first tested positive for Babs. LLMD only tested for Microti and the test for for IgG and IgM, similar to Lyme western blots, I guess.

In this test, negative is less than 1:16 for IgG and negative for IgM is less than 1:20. I scored 1:32 IgG, so DR diagnosed babesia, and the test notes state that this is high enough to indicate acute (altho I am not) and that the parasite might be seen in blood smears.

AT the end of June, a new LLMD (surprisingly and LLMD as well) tested me for microti and WA1 and I was positive for both. I can't find that test right off, but I recall my results being very similar to last years, maybe just a tad higher. So he has diagnosed me as positive for babesia and I am just getting ready to start on Mepron, which he has prescribed.

My insurance does cover this, but it's a $35/mo co-pay. My nurse states that w/o insurance, Mepron would be $1500 per month!

Do not give up your search for an LLMD. I don't know much about this, but others here do. I've been told to go to the pharmeceutical's (BAD spell!) site and look for a way to get help w/ meds if you don't have insurance. I am sure you would need a script, tho.

I got some good advise on arteswhatever here, I won't even try to spell that. I may opt for that, but because my LLMD seems so confident in himself and what he presribes, I'm going to try the Mepron at least for awhile, unless it makes me too sick.

Good luck to you -- I believe you will ultimately need to have this addressed/teated. I don't know how babs would have gone away if you had it awhile back.

I'm sorry about your whole situation and other symptoms too. I'm sorry for ALL of us! It is a battle I am just too tired to fight most of the time!