Chronic Lyme disease is an issue that not every doctor or physician believes exists. Most doctors are more inclined to rule out the presence of Lyme disease when most standard blood tests that are covered by health insurance are very insensitive. The CD57 blood test is used by Lyme literate doctors to screen for the possibility of a chronic infection so that someone may be appropriately treated.
The problem with Lyme disease is that once the flu-like symptoms of the initial infection go away, it can be very difficult to track down the bacteria that cause the problems. 1 in 5 patients who are infected with Lyme disease don’t experience any symptoms until they reach the chronic stage. In the early infection stages, Lyme disease can be effectively treated with antibiotics. In the chronic stage, the bacteria actually become inactive when antibiotics are present and then become active once again when the antibiotics stop.
The CD57 blood test measures CD57+ NK counts. Although the reason is unknown, people who are infected with a chronic Lyme disease infection have low CD57+ NK counts. First the lymphocytes are counted for an absolute number. A normal result is 60-360 cells per mL. Anything below 60 is generally considered an indication of chronic Lyme disease.
The CD57 Blood Test Measures a Patient’s Clinical Status
Not only does the CD57 blood test help to determine if there is a chronic Lyme infection present, but it can also determine if the treatment plan initiated for a patient is working. The CD57+ NK results will rise in count as the Lyme disease organism are eliminated. It is also used as a treatment endpoint. Once a patient has a test that hits the 60-360 threshold, Lyme disease is considered removed.
Some research suggests that Lyme disease can also be present if CD57 counts are as high as 100. You will need to speak with a Lyme literate doctor if your test results fall between 60-100 to determine what you specific options may be.
Your Local Laboratory Does Not Conduct This Test
If you are concerned about a chronic Lyme infection, then there are three facts that you must consider right now as you consider having the CD57 blood test.
1. Many primary care physicians are quick to dismiss a diagnosis of chronic Lyme disease, especially for patients who live in regions that are not prone to infections.
2. There are only two laboratories in the United States that are qualified to properly analyze results. One is in North Carolina and the other is in Texas.
3. Most health insurance plans, including government sponsored ones, will not cover the costs of this blood test.
There is also a problem of timing that your local doctor may not realize. The blood must be analyzed within 12 hours by these two qualified labs in order for accurate results to be achieved. For example: if you live in California and suspect Lyme disease, it may be logistically impossible to receive 100% accurate results from the CD57 blood test.
This means that many people who suspect that they are infected with chronic Lyme disease will need to travel to a healthcare facility outside of their network to have this blood draw done and analyzed. The cost of this is usually several hundred dollars. Depending on how much travel may occur, the private cost may be several thousand dollars when all expenses are combined.
Does This Mean the Test Is Inaccurate?
The CD57 blood test is considered to be not clinically reliable, but this is because the results are often skewed by timing and laboratory conditions. There have been cases where people who are believed to be infected with chronic Lyme disease have still had high CD57+ NK results. There have also been instances where people who were thought to be in remission or not infected by Lyme at all have had low counts.
It is because the blood test is not considered clinically reliable that insurance companies generally refuse to pay for the test.
The CD57 blood test is generally another piece of the puzzle of diagnosing chronic Lyme disease. There are generally many other tests that are conducted that are also other pieces of the puzzle. A normal result does not automatically disqualify a diagnosis of chronic Lyme disease. A low or high result are not definitive indicators either. It is when the results from this test are combined with other test results that a Lyme literate doctor will be able to properly diagnosis the symptoms that someone may be enduring.