Testing for immunological abnormalities in ME

Most of these tests can be done in a general hospital or immunology Clinic

In ME you see immune system abnormalities like:

·      Abnormal CD4/CD8 ratio

·      Increased numbers of activated cytotoxic T cells (most patients have evidence of T-cell activation)

·      Elevation of circulating cytokines

·      Reduced CD8 suppressor cell population and increased activation markers(CD38, HLA-DR) on CD8 cells

·      Activated circulated immune complexes  

·      Atypical lymphocyte count

·      Flow cytometry for activated/elevated lymphocytes

·      Immunoglobulin deficiencies (primarily IgG 1 and IgG 3)

·      Low NK cells (NKC1, NKC2, NKC3)

·      Slightly increased positive ANA (anti-nuclear antibody)

·      Rnase-L  (not available in general hospitals)

·      Elevated PKR cleavage (not available in general hospitals)

·      Elevated NO (not available in general hospitals)

·      Elevated elastase activity, (not available in general hospitals)

·      Elevated IgE (allergic to food or food additives and to airborne allergens: pollen, mold, animal dander, fur and feathers or dust.)

·      Anti-gliadine antibody for wheat

·      Devious Th1 and Th2 shift, response to nitrogen stimulation (high levels of Th2

indicate autoimmunity) 

·       Anti-lamin antibodies may cause autoimmunity and brain cell damage (lamin B antibodies

are evidence of autoimmunity)

·       Humoral autoimmunity for polypeptides of the nuclear envelope (NE)

·       Antibodies in neuronel cells MAP2 (kinase regulators)

·       Low or elevated Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR)

·       Devious testing in IgM`s, IgA`s and IgG`s for infections or PCR ( DNA) tests for viral

like HHV-6,HHV-7, HHV-8,HHV-1 and 2, EBV, CMV. Also for Lyme, parvovirus, enterovira, Q-fever, Bartonella, Rickettsiae, Mycoplasma, Chlamydia, Babesia etc.  

·       Elevated Anti-streptolysin O titre

·       Nose swap positive for Staphylococci

·      Immunobilan test for detection of IgA/IgM directed against Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Citrobacter koseri, Pseudomonas putida, Morganella morganii and Hafnia alvei 

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