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Which lab(s) test best for EBV, CMV, HHV6, etc...

Dreambirdie

work in progress
Messages
5,569
Location
N. California
Does anyone know what lab(s) are best to use for testing the herpes viruses?

Are there any that offer a panel of them at a discount? That would be ideal.
 

Dreambirdie

work in progress
Messages
5,569
Location
N. California
I was hoping to get this info from the Montoya pathogen study, in which I am one of the study subjects. They told us it would take about a year to get our results, but that was back in June of 2010. Still NO results yet! So I think it's time to go with Plan B.
 

Dreambirdie

work in progress
Messages
5,569
Location
N. California
@liverock That's why I asked. I would like to find a test that indicates active infections... if they have come up with one yet. And no, I don't tolerate medications, so Valcyte is not an option.
 

Ema

Senior Member
Messages
4,729
Location
Midwest USA
Lerner just uses the regular Labcorp tests.

He thinks significant IgG elevations years after an initial infection reflects reactivation.
 

SOC

Senior Member
Messages
7,849
Does anyone know what lab(s) are best to use for testing the herpes viruses?

Are there any that offer a panel of them at a discount? That would be ideal.
@liverock That's why I asked. I would like to find a test that indicates active infections... if they have come up with one yet. And no, I don't tolerate medications, so Valcyte is not an option.

If you don't tolerate the antiviral medications, is it worth spending the money on the tests? Are you thinking of some other treatment you would undertake only if you knew you had an active infection?
 

Dreambirdie

work in progress
Messages
5,569
Location
N. California
I got this response from someone in a PM today, who said it's okay to post the info on this thread.

There's more than one EBV test to choose from at most labs...You'll want to get a 4-part EBV panel.

Between Quest Diagnostics and LabCorp, I prefer LabCorp.
LabCorp has an interpretation of the 4-part EBV panel results that fit my profile of "Chronic or Reactivated Infection". By contrast, Quest's interpretation didn't fit my pattern of results. I just recently forwarded this info to a patient who was trying to interpret his EBV panel results and he fit that same category as me.

Here's a link to the Labcorp site... https://www.labcorp.com/wps/portal/
click "Test Menu" under "I am a Health Care Provider" then enter test code # 216655
you can scroll to the bottom to see the interpretation I'm talking about.

Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) Acute Infection Antibodies Profile
LabCorp Test Number: 216655
If you want to get this test, make sure your Dr. specifies LabCorp test code 216655.


For that EBV panel the interpretation has 5 categories including active infections like: Acute infection, Convalescent phase or Chronic/reactivated. I've listed them below the 4 EBV components below.
VCA-IgM; EA-IgG; VCA-IgG; NA-ABS

1. Susceptible

2. Acute infection

3. Convalescent phase

4. Chronic or reactivated

5. Old infection
 

Ema

Senior Member
Messages
4,729
Location
Midwest USA
I got this response from someone in a PM today, who said it's okay to post the info on this thread.

There's more than one EBV test to choose from at most labs...You'll want to get a 4-part EBV panel.

Between Quest Diagnostics and LabCorp, I prefer LabCorp.
LabCorp has an interpretation of the 4-part EBV panel results that fit my profile of "Chronic or Reactivated Infection". By contrast, Quest's interpretation didn't fit my pattern of results. I just recently forwarded this info to a patient who was trying to interpret his EBV panel results and he fit that same category as me.

Here's a link to the Labcorp site... https://www.labcorp.com/wps/portal/
click "Test Menu" under "I am a Health Care Provider" then enter test code # 216655
you can scroll to the bottom to see the interpretation I'm talking about.

Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) Acute Infection Antibodies Profile
LabCorp Test Number: 216655
If you want to get this test, make sure your Dr. specifies LabCorp test code 216655.

For that EBV panel the interpretation has 5 categories including active infections like: Acute infection, Convalescent phase or Chronic/reactivated. I've listed them below the 4 EBV components below.
VCA-IgM; EA-IgG; VCA-IgG; NA-ABS

1. Susceptible

2. Acute infection

3. Convalescent phase

4. Chronic or reactivated

5. Old infection

Typically it is difficult to differentiate between 3 and 4. Which doesn't make it a bad test, just not cut and dried.

The biggest indicator of a reactivated infection is a high titer to IgG Early Antigen. So if your chronic panel comes up high, it's worth doing a quantitative titer also to track your progress.
 

SOC

Senior Member
Messages
7,849
Yes, @SOC I have a TCM practitioner who is skilled with using herbs for the herpes viruses. I want to know which ones I may have.
Interesting. So s/he uses different herbs for different herpesviruses? I didn't know there are such distinctions in herbal antiherpetic therapies. I hope you will share with us as you learn from your TCM practitioner.

Should one not take these herbal therapies without knowing for certain which herpesviruses are active? Why would you not take them if you suspect herpesviruses but don't have absolute certainty (which is almost impossible to have with the testing currently available)? Are they potentially dangerous, like Valcyte? Or is it that they are expensive?
 

Dreambirdie

work in progress
Messages
5,569
Location
N. California
Interesting. So s/he uses different herbs for different herpesviruses? I didn't know there are such distinctions in herbal antiherpetic therapies. I hope you will share with us as you learn from your TCM practitioner.

Should one not take these herbal therapies without knowing for certain which herpesviruses are active? Why would you not take them if you suspect herpesviruses but don't have absolute certainty (which is almost impossible to have with the testing currently available)? Are they potentially dangerous, like Valcyte? Or is it that they are expensive?

TCM works very differently than standard allopathic medicine. When creating an herbal prescription for viral infections, my TCM practitioner will take into account many factors of my current state of health. Since anti-viral herbs are mostly "cold" herbs, which definitely can inhibit digestion, there will be other herbs put in to balance that, as well as herbs to "move the blood and chi" and "tonify" the immune system. So it's not just a-THIS-herb-for-THAT-problem kind of protocol. It's very individualized, and changes in time as your body changes.

My TCM guy is already aware of the fact that I have some kind of herpes virus infection(s). We've been working with that all along, but I thought it would be helpful to get tested to see exactly what I am dealing with. If the tests are real expensive, then it won't be worth it to me.

I can't find the price on that list. Does anyone know what they cost?