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False negative Bartonella?

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Posted 2/6/2016 10:48 AM (GMT 0)
I got tested for bartonella (came out negative) using Labcorp test is that accurate? Or shouldn't get retested with a different lab? Worried about false negative.
PS. Thanks moderators for a great job!
Posted 2/6/2016 1:17 PM (GMT 0)
LabCorp testing leaves much to be desired. Galaxy Diagnostics is known to do the best tests for Bartonella:

www.galaxydx.com/web/

(lots of great info on that site, by the way ;)

Please know that there are many more strains of Bartonella than tests available for them. Plus, new strains are being discovered every few months. Your concerns about a false negative are quite warranted.

Just as with Lyme, Bartonella is clinically diagnosed - based upon symptoms.
Posted 2/6/2016 3:20 PM (GMT 0)
There are lots of strains of Bart, too many to make sure u don't have one just because the test was negative...

Best way to make sure is to run a microscopy. In US you could try Fry Labs

frylabs.com/services-list/bartonella-spp/

The most common are Quintana and Henselae, but it depends on how lucky u are. I am from Europe and this is how i got diagnosed:

- i've done a microscopy - they saw spirochetes + bartonella-like organisms
- next step, i asked for IFM IgG tests for Quintana and Hanselae - i got negative for Hanselae and positive for Quintana
- next i asked for WB for Borrelia sensu lato (RN-AT) http://www.biognost.be/nl/anti-borrelia-euroline-rn-at-521.aspx - positive.

Conclusion: Borrelia with co-infection Bart. Later i ran more complex tests in Germany, on co-infections and identified several others.
Posted 2/6/2016 4:53 PM (GMT 0)
From what I know the coinfections test are very unreliable (lots of false negatives) because, as mpost says, there are so many strains and only a few tested for. They are considered less reliable than the Lyme tests, even at the best labs, and you may need several types of test run just to find it if you ever do.

It is my understanding that most LLMDs diagnose from symptoms (as many will clinically diagnose lyme this way too) and a postive test is confirmation.
Posted 2/6/2016 9:18 PM (GMT 0)
I wouldn't waste your money on testing for Bartonella. I've been tested for it twice with both being negative. But I definitely have symptoms that are attributed only to Bartonella.

I had taken Olive Leaf Extract to try to provoke the Lyme. I have had symptoms for 35+ and was concerned that my body was no longer making antibodies. I had Bart and Babesia tests done by Igenex at the same time as the Lyme test. They were negative. When I got in to see an LLMD, she said that most people don't know it but OLE can cause false negatives on the co-infection test. She sent me for more testing, but I didn't know she include Bart and Babesia, they still came back negative.

So if you have the symptoms, especially some that are normally on Bart or only Babesia, you are best off just treating and not wasting money on a test.

Kim
Posted 2/7/2016 12:27 AM (GMT 0)
I'm a perfect example of a false negative for Bart and it seems my dominant symptoms are coming from Bart. I was lab positive for Lyme/Babs though. The best you can do is treat for it and see if you have a reaction to it.
Posted 2/7/2016 1:47 AM (GMT 0)

Rikky1 said...
The best you can do is treat for it and see if you have a reaction to it.

I agree 100%.

My LLMD only treated me for Lyme despite me herxing with symptoms that overlapped with Babs and Bart. After I reported the herxes I had on Babs/Bart herbs, he refused to entertain the thought of coinfections without additional testing. I opted to instead spend my money on herbs.
Posted 2/7/2016 3:37 AM (GMT 0)
I would not rely on Labcorp - as Cd said, there are so many strains out there and only a few that they test for. Your Dr need to look at your symptoms and clinically diagnose you for coinfections. I was clinically diagnosed with lyme as well as Bartonella, and my Dr hit it right on the nose, which is why I healed quicker than most.
Posted 2/7/2016 3:50 AM (GMT 0)
K was positive for bartonella through Igenex, but negative for both babesias. She was treated with abx for bartonella for 2 years, but only gained 80%.

When I started using Buhner's babesia herbs she developed classic babesia symptoms (symptoms that she had not had before). Our LLMD then clinically diagnosed her with babesia.

It was only the treatment of babesia along with bartonella that brought her to remission.
Posted 2/9/2016 5:59 AM (GMT 0)

cd3764 said...

Rikky1 said...
The best you can do is treat for it and see if you have a reaction to it.

I agree 100%.

My LLMD only treated me for Lyme despite me herxing with symptoms that overlapped with Babs and Bart. After I reported the herxes I had on Babs/Bart herbs, he refused to entertain the thought of coinfections without additional testing. I opted to instead spend my money on herbs.

I second this. I was tested for Bartonella 5-7 times and was negative but with all the symptoms and was treated with abx. 2 years later and I am finally positive. I talked to Galaxy labs about it and they said a good majority of people take a minimum 3-6 months to develop antibodies if at all because of the co'infections overwhelming the body. Nice . Arrrrrrrghghhhh
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