New Test Method for Lyme Disease Validated
A presentation at the annual International Conference on Diseases in Nature Communicable to Man described the diagnostic capability of a new immunoassay approach to diagnose cases of Lyme disease, as described on Medscape Today.
The most recent recommendations from the CDC and the Association of Public Health Laboratories, developed in 1994, may be outdated in light of newer approaches to conduct laboratory analysis. The new method, described by a clinician at the New York Department of Health’s Division of Infectious Diseases, utilizes bead-based, flow cytometric immunoassay techniques.
To evaluate the approach, the New York-based research team compared findings obtained with standard methods of analysis to the flow cytometry testing system developed by Zeus Scientific, the AtheNA Lyme Multilyte Test. The two different methods were used to assess 384 blood specimens. The standard method generally employs either ELISA or immunofluorescent assay, followed by an IgG immunoblot in patients who have positive preliminary tests.
Data suggests that the AtheNA test may be more sensitive to disease in the early stages. Additional benefits noted include data generated which provides more quantitative information than that obtained with ELISA testing. In addition, newer methods appear to have superior rates of detection and produce fewer false negatives and false positives.
Laboratory techniques are critical tools to evaluate potential cases of Lyme disease in the absence of clear evidence of a bite. Importantly, the AtheNA test is currently available only for research purposes.
August 21, 2007 Related topics: Laboratory, Infectious Diseases, Diagnostic