The laboratory of the BCA-clinic, BCA-lab, specialises in tick-borne diseases (Lyme disease and possible co-infections) as well as a range of chronic infections, inflammations and immune deficiencies.
Diagnostics are carried out by physicians of the Medical Practice or by GPs sending patients’ blood samples to the BCA-clinic. The diagnostics include a physical examination, extensive studies of patients’ current ailments and previous medical history as well as specialised blood tests.
Laboratory diagnostics are crucial to discovering evidence of Borrelia bacteria (see also: “Our opinion & studies“). As there is still great dispute over the informational value of blood tests with regards to treating Borrelia in Germany, test results can vary from one laboratory to another; this is why a Lyme specialist must carry out the evaluation.
The laboratory diagnostic is very important for evidence of a possible infection with Borrelia or other co-infections. The quality and information value of Borrelia-detection is assessed differently worldwide (see also “Our opinion & studies”) and therefore the test results can vary in different laboratories. In order to improve the comparison of test results, they should always be carried out in the same laboratory.
Please find more information about the laboratory diagnostics on the BCA-lab website (www.bca-lab.de).
Since the 14th of October, 2013 the laboratory has an accreditation through the DAkkS. Every year the laboratory must be checked comprehensive in the area of the diagnostic of the immunology, microbiology and virology. Certificate of accreditation and annex.
EliSpot is used to detect an infection of borrelia and its co-infections on a cellular level; it is trustworthy and we have now been using it for several years. The first generation of enzymatic EliSpots provides important information about the activity of the cellular level of the immune system. We have now developed this test even further!
The new EliSpot, LymeSpot revised, delivers detailed information about the activity of the infection and /or inflammation. This test can better differentiate whether we are dealing with an active (specific effector-cells) or a latent (specific memory-cells) infection. It will now be possible to evaluate whether it is a patient’s infection, inflammation or autoimmune processes that are prevailing. In comparison with the EliSpot, which is based on the production of interferon-γ, LymeSpot also determines the cytokine IL-2. For more information, click here!
