The Bowen Test

Because of the Bowen Test, I was able to be diagnosed with Lyme disease and Babesiosis. I was treated for both and while I am not totally healed.....I definitely have my life back. The original Bowen Test has been retired. The picture above is a Lyme cyst identified by the Bowen test. Every patient would recieve a photo of what was found in their blood. It is thought that the black objects inside the cyst are spirochetes waiting to emerge when the cyst bursts.

A new version of the Bowen Test has been created by Central Florida Research Lab http://centralfloridaresearch.com/lab2/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=49&Itemid=57

The test has some new modern features but has been watered down in order to be CLIA approved. This means that the test will find less postives than the original Bowen Test. Whether this is a good thing or not...I don't know.

FALSE NEGATIVE TESTING RESULTS ....LYME DISEASE

There are many reasons for testing negative for Lyme disease when a patient is really infected. Some of the reasons for this are listed below and are from Dr. Robert Bransfield's website. One obvious reason for seronegativity is that there are over 300 strains of Borrelia burgdorferi (the spirochete that causes Lyme disease) and the testing only tests for 1 or 2 strains. It is also thought that the sickest patients with the heaviest spirochetal load are the ones who most often test negative. This is thought to be due the antigens being bound up together in immune complexes with the spirochete. The theory is that because the antigens which we are measuring for are bound in a complex with the bacteria...that there are none left over that are free floating...to be measured.

In my own experience, I first tested negative but was put on antibiotics anyway because the CDC says that Lyme is a clinical diagnosis. This means that the doctor should base treatment on symptoms and history, using the testing only as an adjunct to diagnosis. After 4 months on antibiotics, I was tested again and this time I tested positive. Some doctors and researchers feel that when some of the lyme bacteria is killed off, this then frees up some of the antigens and they are now floating free and can be measured. I have been on periodic long term antibiotics and finally have my life back.

http://www.mentalhealthandillness.com/seronegativelymedisease.html

SERONEGATIVE LYME DISEASE


1. Recent infection before immune response

2. Antibodies are in immune complexes

3. Spirochete encapsulated by host tissue (i.e.: lymphocytic cell walls)

4. Spirochete is deep in host tissue (i.e.: fibroblasts, neurons, etc.)

5. Blebs in body fluid, no whole organisms needed for PCR

6 No spirochetes in body fluid on day of test

7. Genetic heterogeneity (300 strains, 100 in U.S.)

8. Antigenic variability

9. Surface antigens change with temperature

10.Utilization of host protease instead of microbial protease

11. Spirochete in dormancy phase (L-form) with no cell walls

12 Recent antibiotic treatment

13 Recent anti-inflammatory treatment

14 Concomitant infection with babesia may cause immunosuppression

15 Other causes of immunosuppression

16 Lab with poor technical capability for Lyme disease

17 Lab tests not standardized for late stage disease

18 Lab tests labeled "for investigational use only"

19 CDC criteria is epidemiological not a diagnostic criteria

20 Lack of standardized control

21 Most controls use only a few strains as reference point

22 Few organisms are sometimes present

23 Encapsulated by glycoprotein "S-layer" which impairs immune recognition

24 "S"- layer binds to IgM

25 Immune deficiency

26 Possible down regulation of immune system by cytokines

27 Revised W.B. criteria fails to include most significant antigens

HERBS FOR LYME DISEASE AND GENERAL HEALTH http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=1097153

Testing Guide For Lyme and Coinfections

http://lymeinducedautism.com/images/LIATesting_handout_FINAL.pdf

Lyme Disease Testing Of Questionable Value

JAMA Vol. 268 No.7, Aug. 19,1992

Performance of 45 laboratories participating in a proficiency testing program for Lyme disease serology

L. L. Bakken, K. L. Case, S. M. Callister, N. J. Bourdeau and R. F. Schell Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706.

OBJECTIVE--We show that significant interlaboratory and intralaboratory variations exist in Lyme disease proficiency testing. DESIGN--Six case-defined Lyme serum samples and three serum samples from individuals with no history of Lyme disease were randomized in four shipments and distributed to 45 participating laboratories. RESULTS--Interlaboratory and intralaboratory performances were highly variable. Approximately 4% to 21% of laboratories failed to identify correctly positive serum samples with titers of 512 or more using polyvalent serum or immunoglobulin G conjugates. With lower levels of anti-Borrelia burgdorferi antibody in the serum sample, approximately 55% of participating laboratories did not identify a case-defined serum. There was also a striking inability of many laboratories to reproduce their results on split samples from the same individual. In addition, 2% to 7% of laboratories identified serum samples from individuals with no known exposure to B burgdorferi as positive using polyvalent serum. The false positivity rate increased to 27% with the use of immunoglobulin G conjugate.

CONCLUSIONS--
Our results indicate that there is an urgent need for standardization of current testing methodologies. Until a national commitment is made, serological testing for Lyme disease will be of questionable value for the diagnosis of the disease.

http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/268/7/891?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=lyme+testin

Poster's Comment.... The conclusion this study came to is that we need standardization in Lyme Testing. This may be a good idea as long as the standard they pick is not too restrictive and therefore would miss alot of true cases of Lyme disease.