Band 18 Meaning? iGENEX Western Blot

Hi birthdaysuit,

You can find a lot of info under the "New to Lyme...Start here" tab.

Western Blot Bands description:

9 cross-reactive for Borrellia
12 specific for Bb
18 unknown
20 cross-reactive for Borrellia
21 unknown
22 cross reactive with other spirochetes/bacteria
23-25 outer surface protein C (OspC), specific for Bb(Lyme)
28 outer surface protein D (OspD), specific for Bb
30 outer surface protein A (OspA) (common in European and
one California strain?)
31 outer surface protein A (OspA), specific for Bb
34 outer surface protein B (OspB); specific for Bb
35 specific for Bb
37 specific for Bb
38
39 Bacterial membrane protein A (BmpA); specific for Bb
41 flagellin protein of all spirochetes; this is usually the first to appear after a Bb infection and is specific for all Borrellia
45 cross-reactive for all Borellia (sometimes people with Lyme who have
this band positive also have the co-infection Ehrlichiosis)
50 cross-reactive for all Borrellia
55 cross-reactive for all Borrellia
57 cross-reactive for all Borrellia
58 unknown but may be a heat-shock Bb protein
60 cross reactive for all Borrellia
66 cross-reactive for all Borrelia, common in all bacteria
83 specific antigen for the Lyme bacterium, probably a cytoplasmic membrane- specific for Bb
93 an immunodominant protoplasmic cylinder antigen associated with the flagellin. Specific to Bb.

www.reocities.com/HotSprings/Oasis/6455/western-blot.txt

birthdaysuit, I am also curious about Band 18. Many sites say that 18 alone is enough for a Lyme diagnosis. Could this be an out-of-date interpretation? My LLMD gave me a clinical diagnosis of Lyme. He also said an indeterminate IgeneX test means you have at least a weak positive, unless you received the Lyme vaccine.

Igenex doesn't have band 18 in there list for determining a positive Western Blot.
It's also not on Dr. Horowtiz's list of lyme specific bands.