Misc. Collection Kit
The Miscellaneous Collection Kit is compatible with tick-borne disease tests that require samples other than blood or urine, such as cerebral spinal fluid (CSF), tissue, placenta or breast milk.
The diagnosis for Bartonella should be considered in patients bitten by a tick or flea or scratched by small animals and are experiencing any of the symptoms typical of Bartonella infections, even mild ones. Patients should be examined by their healthcare professional. The healthcare professional will use clinical symptoms along with laboratory tests to find out whether a patient has bartonellosis or perhaps some other tick-borne infection. IGeneX offers the following tests to help physicians in the accurate detection of Bartonella.
The B. henselae Immunofluorescence Assay (IFA) is designed to detect human IgM and IgG antibodies to Bartonella henselae antigens in human serum. For diagnostic purposes, B. henselae IFA test results should be used in conjunction with other information available to the diagnosing physician.
Principal
The B. henselae IFA assay is a two-stage sandwich assay, based upon an antigen-antibody-complex formation involving the following steps:
Reference Range
Clinical Significance
The B. henselae IFA is used to detect antibodies to B. henselae in human serum. Infections with B. henselae have been associated with Cat Scratch Disease, bacillary angiomatosis, peliosis hepatis, and bacteremia. Titers rise during the first two-to-four weeks of illness and decline over the next six-to-12 months. In patients with previously high titers, the presence of only IgG titer of less than 160 may indicate a resolving infection. If the IFA is negative but the clinical symptoms are present, PCR testing is suggested.
B. henselaeis most often transmitted to humans by cats. Recently, it has been suggested that B. henselaecan also be present in the same species of tick that transmits pathogens causing Lyme disease, Babesiosis, and Ehrlichiosis. Therefore, patients with positive titers should also be tested for the other tick-borne diseases.
Limitations
The Bartonella henselae Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test is an assay that detects B. henselae-specific DNA in whole blood and/or cerebral spinal fluid (CSF). The combination of the following three steps imparts a very high specificity and sensitivity to the test:
Reference Range
Clinical Significance
The B. henselae PCR test is an assay that detects B. henselae-specific DNA in whole blood or cerebral spinal fluid. B. henselae ribosomal DNA (rDNA) fragments are hybrid-selected by probes, followed by PCR amplification of selected B. henselae rDNA. PCR products are confirmed by B. henselae-specific probes in a southern blot assay. The primers and probes used for the selection of B. henselaer DNA fragments are designed from published small subunit ribosomal RNA sequences.
Limitations
The Bartonella Fluorescent In-Situ Hybridization (FISH) assay is designed for qualitative detection of ribosomal RNA of the Bartonella directly in a blood smear. The test’s highest degree of specificity is provided by nucleic acid probes, which bind to RNA sequences of the pathogen.
Principal
The FISH assay is based on two fundamental principles:
Reference Range
Negative: No green fluorescing rod-shaped bacteria.
Clinical Significance
The Bartonella FISH assay is designed for qualitative detection of ribosomal RNA of bacteria belonging to the Genus Bartonella. Bartonella are rod-shaped, gram-negative bacteria. The FISH test provides a significant increase in specificity over standard gram stain for the presence of Bartonella in a whole blood smear. A positive result indicates the presence of bacterium from the Genus Bartonella, including B. berkhoffii, B. henselae, B. quintana, or B. vinsonii. The presence of an organism is a strong indication of the presence of disease. A positive result can aid in diagnosis during the course of the disease.
Limitations
Panels | Blood | Urine | Misc |
*TBD1 | Tick Borne Disease Panel 1 | ✓ | ||
*CP1 | Co-infection Panel 1 | ✓ | ||
*CP2 | Co-infection Panel 2 | ✓ | ||
*CP3 | Co-infection Panel 3 | ✓ | ||
CP4 | Co-infection Panel 4 | ✓ | ||
CP5 | Co-infection Panel 5 | ✓ | ||
*BART1 | Bartonella Panel 1 | ✓ | ||
(*) Not yet available for New York residents. |