Archives: Press Releases

US’s Leading Tick-Borne Disease Lab IGeneX Supports Research for a Cure

MILPITAS, Calif., Sept. 23, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — IGeneX, a leading tick-borne disease and COVID-19 testing lab, is pleased to announce their longstanding support of the Annual LDA Scientific Conference this October, “21st annual CME scientific conference, Lyme & Other Tick-Borne Diseases: Research for a Cure.” IGeneX has contributed over $100,000 in grant money throughout the past 15+ years, aiding aspiring MDs to learn from leading scientists and clinicians about Lyme & tick-borne diseases, accuracy in testing, diagnosis, and treatment of tick-borne diseases. Such knowledge stimulates novel research ideas, forges collaborations, and enhances critical clinical care.

IGeneX joins the Alexandra Cohen Foundation in sponsoring the Annual LDA Scientific Conference in 2021. Hosted in partnership with Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons, this conference provides continued medical education (CME) credits for doctors, as well as being open to the general public. Limited scholarships are available for medical students, post-docs, recent medical professionals, and state health department representatives.

“IGeneX is thrilled to be a part of this conference and to support physician education of Lyme disease, which is direly needed not just in the U.S.A, but worldwide. IGeneX is passionate about supporting factual and relevant education to medical professionals,” said Dr. Jyotsna Shah, Ph.D., President and Laboratory Director of IGeneX. ” Without physician education covering accurate, multi-species tests that detect infection at all stages of tick-borne disease, patients are unable to receive a correct diagnosis and receive appropriate care.”

IGeneX is proud to advocate at the forefront of the battle against rapidly expanding tick-borne diseases, along with Institutions represented at the annual LDA conference, including Columbia; Yale School of Medicine; Tulane; Queens University; Northeastern University; North Carolina State University College of Medicine, Virginia Tech; Johns Hopkins; University of Minnesota; and the University of North Dakota.

Said Pat Smith, President, Lyme Disease Association, Inc. (LDA) regarding the LDA-Columbia 21st CME Lyme & TBD conference, “476,000 people are now acknowledged as being diagnosed and treated throughout the US every year for Lyme disease by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). With these staggering numbers, it is more important than ever that researchers who are publishing cutting-edge studies and physicians who are seeing very sick patients can come together to provide both the clinical and research pictures necessary to help patients with Lyme and tick-borne diseases return to health and to prevent others from becoming sick.

Exploring diagnosing, treating, and pathophysiology and presenting the results of findings to health care providers is essential to that end. I thank all the conference faculty for their time and expertise and the Alexandra and Stephen Cohen Foundation and IGeneX Inc. for supporting our conference efforts as sponsors and hope providers will avail themselves of this learning experience. Together, we can stop this scourge of tick-borne diseases.”

IGeneX Introduces Highly Accurate ImmunoBlot Tests for Bartonella

MILPITAS, Calif., July 27, 2021 – IGeneX, a leading tick-borne disease testing lab, is pleased to announce the availability of ImmunoBlot testing for Bartonella. The Bartonella ImmunoBlot tests for the Bartonella genus and speciates to multiple species of Bartonella that commonly infect humans, including B. henselae, B. quintana, B. elizabethae and B. vinsonii.

Most serological tests for Bartonella have poor sensitivity and have not been able to detect many of the ever-growing list of species and strains. With the new IGeneX Bartonella ImmunoBlots, sensitivity is superior without compromising specificity of the test.

“We are thrilled to bring the ImmunoBlot technology used for Lyme disease and COVID-19 to Bartonella,” said Dr. Jyotsna Shah, PhD, President and Laboratory Director of IGeneX. “Without accurate, multi-species tests that detect infection at all stages of disease, patients are unable to get a correct diagnosis and can’t get better.”

Bartonella can cause serious diseases in humans, such as Cat scratch disease (CSD), endocarditis, Trench fever, and Carrion’s disease. The symptoms of Bartonella can vary from mild to severe, and usually begin 5 to 14 days after infection. Common symptoms include fever, headaches, fatigue, poor appetite, brain fog, muscle pain, and swollen glands around the head, neck and arms.

The diagnosis for Bartonella should be considered in patients bitten by a tick, mite or flea, or scratched by small animals or for patients with signs and symptoms typical of Bartonella. Using a good diagnostic test will aid health care professionals in confirming exposure to Bartonella. IGeneX offers accurate and sensitive Bartonella ImmunoBlot tests which can provide answers for most practitioners.

Advantages of Bartonella ImmunoBlots:
• Far broader and more inclusive of Bartonella species than standard serologies
• More sensitive than Western Blots and/or Immunofluorescence assays (IFA), especially early in the disease
• 100% specificity, meaning there is little chance of a false positive
• Detects the full spectrum of disease: early, active and late-stage disease
• Detects antibodies to Bartonella species and strains from North America, Europe, and Australia

Pricing for the Bartonella ImmunoBlots is $225 for IgM and $225 for IgG.

IGeneX Tests its 4000th Airline Traveler for COVID-19

MILPITAS, Calif., February 8th, 2020 – Bay Area travelers who require a quick and accurate COVID-19 test are in luck. IGeneX, a fully certified lab that provides COVID-19 testing for major hospitals, employers, and professional sports teams, announced this week it has tested its 4000th airline traveler and is expanding its hours to meet the holiday demand.

IGeneX started offering drive thru testing for airline travelers in October, when various states and countries put policies in place requiring visitors to be tested. One test option delivers test results on the same day, and the other in 24 hours. Both tests are Real-time RT-PCR tests that detect an active infection of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The company also offers antibody testing for travel to countries, such as China, that require that type of test.

Most destinations require that visitors provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before arrival. Some countries are even more strict: China requires that both an RT-PCR and IgM antibody test be taken within 48 hours before boarding. Regardless of whether it’s two or three days, finding a test that can be completed in that short of a time frame can be challenging.

“Traveling over the holidays is stressful in the best of times, let alone during a pandemic,” said Dr. Jyotsna Shah, president of IGeneX, Inc. “We are pleased to be one of the first labs to offer same-day RT-PCR and IgM antibody COVID-19 tests. Since the pandemic began, we have been scaling up our infrastructure to the point where we can now offer results in as little as six hours while still maintaining a high level of integrity and accuracy.”

Some airports have helped address the timing challenge by offering testing immediately before flights. But these tests are mostly rapid antigen tests, often completed in 15 minutes, and are inferior to RT-PCR testing performed at a laboratory and may not be accepted at your destination. Moreover, no airports currently provide IgM antibody testing for travelers that need that test.

“We strongly recommend travelers choose an RT-PCR COVID-19 test, if possible,” said Dr. Shah. “The rapid antigen test can be good for detecting highly symptomatic people, but if you are traveling then you are likely symptom free and at a greater risk of receiving an inaccurate reading from a rapid antigen test.”

Testing must be ordered at least one day in advance and customers must physically go to IGeneX headquarters to be tested. Mail-in samples are not accepted for this program. The company reports that customers have come from as far away as South Lake Tahoe, Fresno, and Los Angeles.

How to Get Testing at IGeneX
1. Visit the IGeneX website and order either the same-day test or 24-hour test
2. Schedule an appointment from 8:30am – 10am, M-F at IGeneX’s headquarters
3. Visit IGeneX and perform a swab under the guidance of an IGeneX technician
4. IGeneX will process your sample and deliver results within the appropriate timeframe

For more information on COVID-19 testing for airline travelers, please contact IGeneX today at 1-800-832-3200 or visit https://www.igenex.com.

Bay Area Lab Tests its 2000th Airline Traveler for COVID-19

MILPITAS, Calif., December 16th, 2020 – Bay Area travelers who require a quick and accurate COVID-19 test are in luck. IGeneX, a fully certified lab that provides COVID-19 testing for major hospitals, employers, and professional sports teams, announced this week it has tested its 2000th airline traveler and is expanding its hours to meet the holiday demand.

IGeneX started offering drive thru testing for airline travelers in October, when various states and countries put policies in place requiring visitors to be tested. One test option delivers test results on the same day, and the other in 24 hours. Both tests are Real-time RT-PCR tests that detect an active infection of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The company also offers antibody testing for travel to countries, such as China, that require that type of test.

Most destinations require that visitors provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before arrival. Some countries are even more strict: China requires that both an RT-PCR and IgM antibody test be taken within 48 hours before boarding. Regardless of whether it’s two or three days, finding a test that can be completed in that short of a time frame can be challenging.

“Traveling over the holidays is stressful in the best of times, let alone during a pandemic,” said Dr. Jyotsna Shah, president of IGeneX, Inc. “We are pleased to be one of the first labs to offer same-day RT-PCR and IgM antibody COVID-19 tests. Since the pandemic began, we have been scaling up our infrastructure to the point where we can now offer results in as little as six hours while still maintaining a high level of integrity and accuracy.”

Some airports have helped address the timing challenge by offering testing immediately before flights. But these tests are mostly rapid antigen tests, often completed in 15 minutes, and are inferior to RT-PCR testing performed at a laboratory and may not be accepted at your destination. Moreover, no airports currently provide IgM antibody testing for travelers that need that test.

“We strongly recommend travelers choose an RT-PCR COVID-19 test, if possible,” said Dr. Shah. “The rapid antigen test can be good for detecting highly symptomatic people, but if you are traveling then you are likely symptom free and at a greater risk of receiving an inaccurate reading from a rapid antigen test.”

Testing must be ordered at least one day in advance and customers must physically go to IGeneX headquarters to be tested. Mail-in samples are not accepted for this program. The company reports that customers have come from as far away as South Lake Tahoe, Fresno, and Los Angeles.

How to Get Testing at IGeneX
1. Visit the IGeneX website and order either the same-day test or 24-hour test
2. Schedule an appointment from 8:30am – 10am, M-F at IGeneX’s headquarters
3. Visit IGeneX and perform a swab under the guidance of an IGeneX technician
4. IGeneX will process your sample and deliver results within the appropriate timeframe

For more information on COVID-19 testing for airline travelers, please contact IGeneX today at 1-800-832-3200 or visit https://www.igenex.com.

IGeneX Shares COVID-19 Testing Tips for Holiday Travel

MILPITAS, CALIF.  IGeneX, Inc., a high-complexity lab specializing in disease testing, today shared some critical testing tips as people gear up for holiday travel. By following these best practices for COVID-19 testing, holiday travelers can minimize new hassles introduced by the global pandemic.

“Traveling over the holidays can be challenging in the best of times, let alone during a pandemic,” said Dr. Jyotsna Shah, president of IGeneX, Inc. “These days, there are more things to check off your pre-trip to-do list, including taking a COVID-19 test. Many destinations require travelers to either take a test before leaving, or self-quarantine for up to 14 days upon arrival to stem the spread of the virus. IGeneX has compiled some important tips to help travelers navigate COVID-19 testing and ensure the smoothest possible holiday travel.”

Get the right test: Not all COVID-19 tests are the same, and not all tests may be accepted at your destination. Broadly speaking, there are two categories of tests: RT-PCR tests and rapid antigen tests. RT-PCR tests are considered the gold standard for COVID-19 testing and the results are accepted for most domestic and international travel. These tests are slightly more expensive and can take longer to process than rapid antigen tests but are more likely to provide a correct answer. Rapid antigen tests are fast and cheap but are statistically less accurate than RT-PCR tests, especially for people who are experiencing no symptoms. The White House recently had issues with these tests providing false negative results, and nursing homes in Nevada experienced false positive results with these same rapid tests.

“We strongly recommend travelers choose an RT-PCR COVID-19 test, if possible,” said Dr. Shah. “The rapid antigen test can be good for detecting highly symptomatic people, but if you are traveling then you are likely symptom free and at a greater risk of receiving an inaccurate reading from a rapid antigen test.”

Know the regulations for your destination: COVID-19 testing requirements not only differ domestically and internationally, but also state to state. Hawaii, in particular, has some of the most stringent testing requirements of any destination. Currently, all visitors to Hawaii must show evidence of a recent negative RT-PCR test from an approved lab when arriving in the state, or else they face 14 days of quarantine.

Making matters worse is that testing requirements are constantly changing as virus cases fluctuate. For instance, starting on November 5, travelers to China were required to present a negative IgM antibody test in addition to a negative RT-PCR test. An antibody test requires a blood sample, which adds an additional layer of complexity to travel plans. That is why it is vitally important to check state and local public health websites for information before you travel.

The AARP is a great resource for finding up-to-date information on restrictions and regulations in the United States. If you are traveling internationally, check the destination’s Office of Foreign Affairs or Ministry of Health, Bureau of Consular Affairs or country Information page for details about entry requirements and restrictions for arriving travelers. State.gov has a great color-coded map with more information about organizations to contact.

“We have tested numerous travelers to China, India, and Guatemala and the COVID-19 testing policies are different for each country,” said Dr. Shah. “It is crucial that travelers know the restrictions ahead of time.”

Timing is important: Most destinations require that visitors provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before arrival. Some countries are even more strict: China requires that both the RT-PCR and IgM antibody tests be taken within 48 hours before boarding. Regardless of whether it’s two or three days, finding a test that can be completed in that short of a time frame can be challenging.

Some airports have helped address the timing challenge by offering testing immediately before flights. But these tests, once again, are mostly rapid antigen tests, often completed in 15 minutes, inferior to RT-PCR testing performed at a laboratory, and may not be accepted at your destination. Moreover, no airports currently provide IgM antibody testing for travelers that need that test.

IGeneX provides a quicker turnaround on RT-PCR tests and IgM antibody tests. “We are pleased to be one of the first labs to offer same-day RT-PCR and IgM antibody COVID-19 tests,” said Dr. Shah. “Since the pandemic began, we have been scaling up our infrastructure to the point where we can now offer results in as little as six hours while still maintaining a high level of integrity and accuracy.”

Lab Offers Same-Day COVID-19 Testing for Travelers

MILPITAS, Calif. – IGeneX, a fully certified lab known for its highly accurate COVID-19 testing for major hospitals, cities, employers, and professional sports teams, is now offering two options for those in need of a quick COVID-19 test. One option delivers test results in six hours, and the other in 24 hours. Both tests are Real-time RT-PCR tests that detect an active infection of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Fast test results are needed for airline travelers who are visiting a state or country, such as Hawaii and China, that requires proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test result upon entry. They are also great for health-care workers who need access to quick testing so that they can continue to safely take care of the rest of us.

Delays in test results continue to be an issue. Most people who are tested for the Coronavirus do not receive results within the 24 to 48 hours recommended by public health experts to effectively stall the virus’s spread and quickly conduct contact tracing, according to a national survey by researchers from Harvard University, Northeastern University, Northwestern University and Rutgers University. In fact, some Bay Area sites take up to 19 days to deliver results in the worst cases.

“IGeneX is pleased to offer expedited COVID-19 testing for those with time-sensitive testing needs,” says Dr. Jyotsna Shah, President and Laboratory Director at IGeneX. “Since the pandemic began, we have been scaling up our capabilities to the point where we can now offer a quicker turnaround while still maintaining a high level of integrity and accuracy.”

IGeneX recommends both symptomatic and asymptomatic people be tested for COVID-19, which is in line with the latest CDC recommendations. Symptomatic people are those with a fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. If positive, a person can be quarantined and treated before the disease spreads. Asymptomatic individuals do not display symptoms but may unknowingly expose and transfer the virus to others.

How to Get Same-Day Testing at IGeneX
1. Visit the IGeneX website and order either the six-hour test or 24-hour test
2. Schedule an appointment to visit IGeneX’s headquarters
3. Visit IGeneX and perform a self-swab
4. IGeneX will process your sample and deliver results within the appropriate timeframe

For more information on how to get tested for COVID-19, please contact IGeneX today at 1-800-832-3200 or visit igenex.com.

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City of Milpitas Extends Mobile Testing for COVID-19

Milpitas, CA – June 12, 2020 – The City of Milpitas is the first in Santa Clara County to create a mobile testing site for COVID-19, allowing the City to increase testing of at-risk populations throughout the city limits. This innovative testing model, which utilizes a Milpitas Fire Department ambulance as the testing base, has been funded by the Milpitas City Council through August 7, extending the initial funding period that would end on June 30, 2020. The City has partnered with local company IGeneX, creating a public-private partnership to bring mobile COVID-19 testing to the community.

The mobile diagnostic testing program has so far focused on testing vulnerable populations at locations such as elderly care facilities, senior mobile home parks, and city facilities such as parks during its pilot program, starting May 27, 2020. This program complements a fixed testing site in Milpitas which is run by the Santa Clara County Department of Public Health, but is supported by City staff and housed in a City-owned facility. The expansion of mobile testing creates a convenient testing option for residents who are not able to visit a fixed test site, and for Milpitas residents who want to be tested.

Managers of care facilities, mobile home parks or essential businesses can contact the City to make appointments for their residents or employees. Individuals can also make their own appointment by calling the City’s dedicated phone line for COVID-19 resources at (408) 586-3434, or using the online appointment scheduler.

Fire Department paramedics administer the tests, while IGeneX provides the needed testing materials and processes the test results. IGeneX will directly bill Medicare or eligible insurance carriers (Medicare, Aetna, Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Cigna, Humana, and United Healthcare). For patients who do not have health insurance but have a valid Social Security Number, Permanent Resident Number, or State driver’s license, IGeneX will seek federal reimbursement under the Health Resources Services Administration COVID-19 Uninsured Persons Program. Individuals with insurance carriers not listed above may also be covered. However, individuals who have insurance coverage with Staff Model HMOs, such as Kaiser Permanente, will not be covered and should contact their healthcare provider directly to request testing. Individuals without valid ID or health insurance may still be eligible for testing through Santa Clara County.

Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 will be contacted by City staff within 24 hours. Those who have negative test results indicating no presence of COVID-19 will have their results mailed to them. The mobile testing site has tested more than 300 patients, and none of the patients so far have tested positive for COVID-19.

The cost to run the testing site from its launch on May 27 through August 7 is estimated to be $140,000, much of which may be reimbursed by FEMA.

The expansion of this mobile testing site to more residents and community members is a crucial step for the City of Milpitas on the path to a safe reopening.

SF Bay Area Lab Helps Companies Test Employees for COVID-19

MILPITAS, Calif., Mar. 18, 2020 – Bay Area employers have reason to be optimistic about being able to reopen their businesses quickly and safely. Milpitas-based IGeneX, a fully certified lab with a long history of performing molecular and immunological diagnostic testing, is offering Bay Area employers a special program to get their employees tested for COVID-19 so companies can resume full operations in a responsible manner.

IGeneX is offering a Real-time RT-PCR test that determines if an employee is currently infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, as well as two ImmunoBlot tests to determine if an employee’s immune system has produced antibodies against the infection. The information from these tests can help determine if it is safe for an employee to return to work.

Employees will likely welcome any testing that helps them get back to work, as California’s unemployment rate could reach 25% due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Last week, the Employment Development Department (EDD) said it had processed 4.7 million unemployment benefit claims since the week ending March 14. That would amount to about 24.4% of the state’s civilian labor force of 19.2 million workers, using the most recent figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“IGeneX is honored to be able to extend the availability of COVID-19 testing to companies across the Bay Area,” says Dr. Jyotsna Shah, President and Laboratory Director at IGeneX. “As companies look to resume normal operations, it’s clear that widespread and accurate testing of employees will play a critical role in ensuring a safe workplace. Break rooms, meeting rooms, and warehouse floors are just a few of the places where potentially at-risk employees come together and viruses can be transmitted.”

How to Get Employees Tested

1. Contact IGeneX at 1-800-832-3200 to get your company set up in the special COVID-19 Employer Program.
2. IGeneX will provide test kits, as well as guidance on how to collect specimens from employees and organize transportation of specimens to IGeneX.
3. Results will be provided between 24-48 hours after receipt of samples.

Which Employees Should be Tested?

IGeneX recommends testing both symptomatic and asymptomatic employees for COVID-19. Symptomatic employees are those with a fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. If positive, the employee can be quarantined and treated before the disease spreads. Asymptomatic employees don’t display symptoms, but may unknowingly expose and transfer the virus to others.

IGeneX also suggests employers test their employees with a panel, which consists of both Real-time RT-PCR and antibody test methods. In a recent study of 60 patients, IGeneX found that 25 were Real-time RT-PCR positive for SARS-Cov-2. Of the 25 positive patients, two had no symptoms. Of the 35 negative patients, two were sick and tested positive for antibodies to SARS-CoV-2. These patients would have been misdiagnosed if only one test method were performed.

“At IGeneX, we are real people who understand the very personal, real-life impact that COVID-19 is having,” says Shah. “It is our goal to help people get back to work quickly, so they can regain their livelihood and careers, but do so in a way that will be safe for them, their co-workers, and their family at home.”

For more information on how you can get your employees tested, please contact IGeneX today at 1-800-832-3200 or visit igenex.com.

IGeneX Introduces Cost-Effective Tests for Lyme Disease and TBRF

IGeneX, a leading tick-borne disease testing lab based in California, is pleased to announce the availability of the new Broad Coverage Ab (BCA) Assays for Lyme disease and Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever (TBRF). The BCA assays are simple and cost-effective tests that give either a positive or negative result for Borreliae exposure. It is essential to be able to test for each Borreliosis disease, as we now know that the TBRF Borreliae group can also cause Lyme-like symptoms, and the treatments may be different.

The IGeneX IgM and IgG ImmunoBlot tests have long been considered the gold standard in Lyme and TBRF testing but have been out of reach for some patients due to Lyme disease test costs. Thus, IGeneX has introduced more affordable BCA assays, which will help more patients get good quality testing.

“We are thrilled to offer these tests at a price that will make them accessible by patients from additional socio-economic backgrounds,” said Dr. Jyotsna Shah, President and Laboratory Director of IGeneX. “Lyme and TBRF are continuing to spread, and sick patients from all walks of life need to be able to get an accurate diagnosis so they can begin the appropriate treatment.”

Advantages of the Broad Coverage Ab Assays for Lyme disease and TBRF:

1. Detect both IgM and IgG antibodies
2. Far broader and more inclusive of Borrelia species than standard serologies
3. Detects antibodies to Borrelia species and strains from North America, Europe, and Australia
4. Better than two-tier ELISA/Western Blot and two-tier ELISA
5. Provides a simple, cost-effective, and easy-to-understand positive or negative result

Limitations: Lower sensitivity than ImmunoBlots. Does not provide the stage of the disease like ImmunoBlots.

Recently, the CDC announced that Lyme disease is more common than previously thought, with over 400,000 cases diagnosed each year in the US. That makes annual new Lyme disease cases in this country about four times more common than new cases of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and syphilis combined. In addition, we now know that the TBRF Borreliae group can also cause Lyme-like symptoms.

The Lyme and TBRF BCA Assays are designed to detect antibodies for multiple species and strains of Lyme Borreliae and TBRF Borreliae, respectively, in human serum. Each assay has excellent specificity. A positive test suggests exposure to the Lyme Borreliae group or the TBRF Borreliae group and should be used in conjunction with patient clinical symptoms and history. For specific protein or band information, IgM and IgG ImmunoBlot tests should be ordered to provide more information on the stage of the disease and possible speciation of the Borrelia.

Each Lyme or TBRF BCA assay costs $195 and is available to be ordered through a physician. For a datasheet on the BCA Assays, please go here. For more information on all IGeneX tests, please visit www.igenex.com.

New Form of Lyme Disease Detected by State-of-the-Art Test

Milpitas, CA, USA – Tuesday, October 29, 2019 – A novel test for a new form of Lyme disease was described in a report published in the prestigious medical journal Healthcare (Basel). The new test detects exposure to tick-borne relapsing fever, a Lyme-related disease transmitted by ticks that is spreading worldwide.

Lyme disease is a tick-borne infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, a type of corkscrew-shaped bacteria known as a spirochete (pronounced spiro’keet). Recently the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that Lyme disease is much more common than previously thought, with over 400,000 new cases diagnosed each year in the United States. That makes annual new cases of Lyme disease in this country about four times more common than new cases of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and syphilis combined.

Recently another form of tick-borne disease caused by relapsing fever Borrelia has been recognized in the United States and internationally. Until now there has been no reliable test for exposure to this family of Borrelia spirochetes. The new study describes a sensitive and specific test called a line immunoblot developed by IGeneX Laboratory that detects antibodies against relapsing fever Borrelia. IGeneX had previously developed a line immunoblot test for exposure to Lyme spirochetes related to Borrelia burgdorferi (https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/6/3/99).

The current study was a collaborative effort by an international team of scientists. Researchers included Jyotsna S. Shah, Song Liu, Iris Du Cruz, Akhila Poruri and Ranjan Ramasamy from IGeneX Laboratory in Milpitas, CA; clinicians Мariia Shkilna, Mykhaylo Korda, Ivan Klishch, Stepan Zaporozhan, Kateryna Shtokailo and Mykhaylо Andreychyn from Ternopil National Medical University in Ukraine; biochemist Rajan Maynard from Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA; and internist Raphael Stricker from Union Square Medical Associates in San Francisco, CA.

“Our findings demonstrate the complexity of Lyme disease,” said Dr. Shah, the lead author of the study who is President and Laboratory Director of IGeneX. “The new test shows exposure to another form of the disease that cannot be detected with currently available Lyme testing.”

In the study, the line immunoblot test was used to detect antibodies against relapsing fever Borrelia in well-characterized serum samples from patients in Australia, Ukraine and the United States. The novel test showed high sensitivity for these antibodies, and there were very few false-positive results.

“Line immunoblot testing offers a reliable method to detect exposure to relapsing fever Borrelia,” said Dr. Shkilna, who treats Lyme disease in Ukraine. “The test can demonstrate exposure in individual patients and help us understand the global spread of tick-borne relapsing fever.”

Dr. Stricker pointed to the implications of the new test for Lyme disease diagnosis and treatment. “Lyme disease is not a simple infection anymore,” he said. “We need to pay attention to new forms of the disease, and the line immunoblot test is a good start.”