A free Lyme culture test? Ask your doctor today

8th January 2013

Working through your doctor, you may be able to get a free Borrelia culture test as part of a research program.

Note: Since I posted this blog yesterday, Advanced Labs has been inundated with phone calls from patients seeking this test. The lab doesn't have the staff to field such phone calls, and it's creating a huge problem. As stated in my original blog, only DOCTORS can order the test. Print out the information below and fax it to your doctor. The entire Lyme community stands to benefit from the successful development of this test. Please, let these folks do their work!

Advanced Laboratory Services, Inc, became famous in the Lyme community for developing a revolutionary Lyme culture test. Most lab tests for Lyme don't look for Lyme itself, but rather antibodies to Lyme–which can sometimes be problematic.  A culture test grows the Lyme bacteria from the blood sample. Unfortunately, the current culture test costs about $600 and can take up to four months to get results.

Now, Advanced Labs is working on a second generation culture test, with an eye towards developing a less expensive one that gives quicker results.

Dr. Joseph Burrascano, who consults with Advanced Labs, this week sent out a letter to doctors informing them about the development of the new test. In the letter, Burrascano states, "The lab needs blood samples from Lyme patients who are actively ill, have a very high likelihood on clinical grounds to have Lyme (do NOT have to be CDC-positive for this particular study), but must not have been exposed to any antibiotics over the prior four weeks. Can be early or late Lyme- not important as long as you are confident in the diagnosis and the patient has signs that the infection is active. If you have any potential candidates, please let me know." (Note: Also, no herbal antimicrobials.)

According to Burrascano's letter, the lab will do the full culture free of charge. All samples will be cultured and then tested by immunostains. Select samples may also be tested by PCR and DNA sequencing.

Physicians who want to participate should contact Advanced Labs for special blood collection kits that the company will mail to the doctor's office. There are very specific instructions that must be followed for collecting and shipping the samples. Also, patients must sign a consent form.

Because of state laws, the lab cannot accept samples from New York practitioners.

This is a good opportunity for certain Lyme patients to get their blood tested for free and also to help advance the development of a significant new test. I've already gotten lots of emails from patients asking how they can get the test kits, so I emphasize that it must be done through a doctor and only if you meet certain requirements.

You might print this column and show it to your doctor, asking if you'd qualify for the test. Then, the doctor must contact Advanced Labs for further instructions.

From Advanced Laboratory Services:
Regular collection kits can be ordered by practitioners online by clicking on "Order Kits" (tab at top right). Click here for website.  Research kits will only be sent after a practitioner has registered with the lab and each patient has been pre-qualified – there is a form that the lab will provide to interested practitioners.  Practitioners can email the lab at questions@advanced-lab.com.

TOUCHED BY LYME is written by Dorothy Kupcha Leland, LymeDisease.org's VP for Education and Outreach. Contact her at dleland@lymedisease.org.