How to Address Lyme Testing Challenges with Advanced Testing Methods

Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses often go undiagnosed because standard commercial laboratory tests provide a false negative approximately 50% of the time. The problem stems from outdated conventional testing methods that look at one single strain of bacteria, B31, found in a tick from an island off New York's coast in the 1980s. The reality is that this does not accurately represent the diversity, as there are now over 20 different species that can cause Lyme disease and tick-borne illness.

Dr. Nafysa Parpia sits down with Dr. Joseph Burrascano, widely recognized as the father of Lyme disease diagnosis and treatment to unpack the critical differences between conventional and specialty laboratory testing, explore why patients often don't show positive results on standard tests, and discuss the FDA clearance of advanced immunoblot technology that's revolutionizing how we diagnose these conditions.

Episode Highlights:

• Find out why your doctor's Lyme test might miss your infection because standard labs only look for one strain, B31, isolated in the 1980s, when there are 20+ species currently affecting patients.
• Learn the signs that distinguish different tick-borne diseases - each infection has its own specific pattern of symptoms that help with diagnosis.
• Understand why Lyme rarely travels alone - most people actually have multiple tick-borne infections at once, which explains why symptoms can be so confusing.
• Specialty labs that are game-changers with FDA-cleared tests detecting all species with 97% vs 50% accuracy.
• Review of the Long COVID connection, where 50-70% of Long COVID patients also have tick-borne infections.

Listen in to learn more :

(00:01) Specialty Lab Testing for Tick-Borne Illnesses
(07:21) Specialized Testing for Tick-Borne Diseases
(16:02) Lyme Disease and Functional Medicine
(20:30) Advanced Lab Testing for Tick Infections
(31:32) Advancements in Lyme Disease Testing
(38:19) Intersection of Long COVID and Lyme
(43:03) Specialized Testing for Chronic Infections

Want to support the show?

Share this episode with a friend, leave a review on Apple, or tag us on Instagram @GordonMedical with your biggest insight.

Subscribe and stay connected:

Subscribe to Gordon Medical Forum on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to ensure you never miss an episode.

Don’t forget to follow us @GordonMedicalAssociates on YouTube, @GordonMedicalAssociates and @GordonMedical on Instagram and Facebook for more insights and updates.

About Joseph Burrascano, MD

Pioneer in the clinical assessment, testing, and treatment of the major tick-borne diseases; began seeing Lyme patients in the early-mid 1980s. Author of lay and professional articles, textbook chapters, plus authored the first comprehensive diagnosis and treatment guidelines. Founding member of ILADS and ILADEF. No longer in practice- works in the biotech arena for a private company but spends much time educating physicians and allied health providers.

Learn more about the IGeneX Immunoblot Test: https://igenex.com/save-money-igenex

💬 Text us your feedback and future show ideas! (Please note we can't respond to texts - email questions to [e-mail])

Interested in Becoming A Patient?

Find out if working with Gordon Medical is right for you. Set up a complimentary discovery call with our new patient coordinator at www.gordonmedical.com.

** This information is not to be taken as medical advice. Always consult your practitioner before making any changes to your treatment.