This test requires a blood draw, so please ensure you can refer to a phlebotomist in the clients area before you order this test.
While acute Borrelia burgdorferi infections and other diseases show normal CD57+ parameters, chronic Lyme patients often have less than 100 CD57+ cells/μl. According to scientific studies, a suppressed absolute number of CD57+ cells has been observed in patients whose nervous system has been affected rather than patients whose tissue or skeleton system has been affected. The decrease in CD57+ cells lasts until improvements in symptoms have been achieved via antibiotics and other forms of treatment.
The CD57+ cells document the extent of the immune suppression of chronic Lyme disease. Based on the current literature, CD57+ cells are prognostic laboratory parameters during and after the antibiotic treatment.
The Lyme CD57+ Cells test documents the extent of the immune suppression of chronic Lyme disease and is an important factor in monitoring Lyme disease therapy. Chronic (stage III) progression of Lyme disease leads to a weakened immune system, reflected by a decrease in CD3-/CD57+ (a sub group of Natural killer cells or NK-cells). A decrease in CD57+ cells indicates chronic or untreated Lyme disease and does not appear in cases of an acute Lyme infection (e.g. Bull’s eye rash or Summer Flu contracted as a result of a tick bite). CD57+ cells reflect the degree of activity of chronic Lyme disease and increase to a normal level after a successful treatment.
In contrast, there is no decrease in CD57+ cells with clinical similar diseases, such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) or an Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). In addition, there is no significant fluctuation of CD57+ cells throughout the day.
CD57+ cells are appropriate laboratory parameters to use in cases where chronic Lyme disease is suspected and for monitoring therapy. CD57+ cells should be measured in parallel with actual T-cellular activity, using the Borrelia Elispot-LTT.