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If you have an IgG and an IgM reaction..

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Lyme Disease
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Posted 3/29/2017 6:56 PM (GMT 0)
Does that most likely mean you have had 2 separate infections from 2 different exposures?
Posted 3/29/2017 7:00 PM (GMT 0)
Like IGM and IGG for bart? I think IGM means recent or active and IGG means past or active. I think if you test positive on both it would just indicate it's active but not brand new. I could totally be wrong on this. It was kinda what I was trying to ask the other day about IGG + only.
Posted 3/29/2017 7:24 PM (GMT 0)
No, not necessarily. IgM means active infection - it does not designate whether the infection is old or new, only that the immune systems is currently making antibodies. IgM responses take longer to form, so those are from older infection, but they may only be weeks old - there's no time designation on those really either, except that they are produced when the bacteria has been in the body long enough to bring about a different type of response.

A person could feasibly have an IgM reaction from a new tick infection, and have an IgG reaction from an older infection - but there's literally no way to tell them apart at this point in time. We would also need to be able to positively identify which strain of which bacteria is causing which response (IgM or IgG) -and we are a long way off from being able to do that as well.
Posted 3/29/2017 7:33 PM (GMT 0)
Okkkkk got that into my heavy headed brain fogged head.

Thanks😊
Posted 3/29/2017 7:49 PM (GMT 0)
LOL! Hang in there!!! smile
Posted 3/29/2017 10:54 PM (GMT 0)

Traveler said...
No, not necessarily. IgM means active infection - it does not designate whether the infection is old or new, only that the immune systems is currently making antibodies. IgM responses take longer to form, so those are from older infection, but they may only be weeks old - there's no time designation on those really either, except that they are produced when the bacteria has been in the body long enough to bring about a different type of response.

A person could feasibly have an IgM reaction from a new tick infection, and have an IgG reaction from an older infection - but there's literally no way to tell them apart at this point in time. We would also need to be able to positively identify which strain of which bacteria is causing which response (IgM or IgG) -and we are a long way off from being able to do that as well.

Thanks for the explanation. I am very new to all of this and trying to make sense of it all. I tested CDC positive for IgM WB. Bands 41 and 23. Negative for IgG WB. It was my first and only test at this point. Fortunate to have a doctor (gyn) who listened to my symptoms and ran a full battery of bloodwork.
Posted 3/29/2017 11:47 PM (GMT 0)
There is so much to learn!! The learning curve for these infections are so very steep, that we really do need to rely on each other when we can. That's why we do try to make sure that solid information is shared on here, and when misinformation is shared, that it's "confronted" (in a gentle way) and we help that person understand the right information (hopefully).
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