Elispot looks at the T cell response and IGG/IGM looks at B cells/Antibodies.
Some people don't produce antibodies and have a more active T cell response.
In an ideal world to assess an infection, a practitioner should look at both sides of the immune system response, in other words, Eli-spot for the T cells/cellular response and IGG/IGM for humoral/B cell/antibody response.
To check for recent antibodies (IGM) or past exposure antibodies (IGG) please run this test, but for the best overview of the immune system, combine it with the relevant Elispot test.
Spirochetes called Borrelia burgdorferi can trigger Lyme disease when transmitted to the human body by a tick bite. Often there are no complications with the infection and it can be eliminated or controlled by a strong immune defense mechanism. If the immune defense is not strong enough, the infection can cause chronic symptoms (e.g. in the joints). There is no vaccination against Lyme Borreliosis yet. Therefore, it is very important to diagnose the illness early.
The SeraSpot MicroArray for Borrelia burgdoferi antibodies combines the standardized and robust Microtiter-plate technique with the Microarray analysis in one single microwell. Parameters comprise Borrelia burgdorferi antigens printed in nanoliter scale in array arrangement on the bottom of the wells.
The SeraSpot MicroArray analyzes the following Borrelia burgdorferi IgG- and IgM-antibodies and Borrelia burgdorferi subspecies:
VlsE (B.b. afzelii), p39 (B.b. afzelii), p58 (B.b. garinii), p100 (B.b. afzelii), OspC (B.b. afzelii + B.b. garinii + B.b. sensu stricto), DbpA (B.b. afzelii + B.b. garinii + B.b. sensu stricto).
Because of the known standardization problems of Borrelia-Immunoblot/Westernblot we will from now on use the standardized SeraSpot MicroArray instead of former Immunoblot/Westernblot technique.
Nevertheless, negative results of antibodies by the modern and standardized SeraSpot Microarray technique cannot exclude Borrelia antibodies in chronic infections. The sensitivity („false negatives“) of the modern SeraSpot MicroArray is comparable to the former Borrelia Immunoblot/Westernblot for antibodies
It is also possible that a tick bite transmits other pathogens along with Borrelia burgdorferi (e.g. Rickettsia, Babesia and Ehrlichia). The most important pathogens of Lyme Borreliosis are Borrelia burgdorferi, Borrelia garinii and Borrelia afzelii, which are closely related to the Syphilis pathogen Treponema pallidum..
Indication:
- to diagnose chronic Lyme disease
- to diagnose acute Lyme disease
- to determine the duration of therapy
- to monitor treatment results after a Lyme therapy